


You Are My Home

by VixxN (KobutoriRisu)



Category: GOT7, JJ Project, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, JJ Project - Freeform, M/M, jj parents, jjp, namjin - Freeform, selective mutism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-07-06 20:17:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KobutoriRisu/pseuds/VixxN
Summary: Omegas are rare, and Jinyoung even more so, which winds him up in whole mess of trouble. But In the end it's a blessing, not a curse, because he finds friends, a pack, a family and love on a mountain in the middle of no where, with someone he thought he'd lost.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, as always, lovely Ji_min_ie_pabo.
> 
> Happy Birthday, beautiful Mark.

Most pups looked forward to the Change, when they finally knew what kind of wolf they would be, but Jinyoung kind of dreaded it. Even if it would come with a real voice and he would stop sounding like a deranged mosquito.

 

He didn't want to be a beta, not that there was anything wrong with _being_ a beta, it was just that in his particular pack he knew he would be endlessly bullied by his Uncles if he was a beta, and he didn't really look forward to that.

 

His best friend from school, Jaebeom, said that he was way too much of a pain in the ass to be a beta (Jinyoung interpreted that to mean 'feisty'), and that he was positive Jinyoung was going to be an alpha. Jinyoung didn't want to be an alpha in his pack either, because _that_ meant that he would constantly be fighting with his Uncles, and that wasn't really any better.

 

Of course, it was highly unlikely that he would be an omega, given how rare they were, but nor did he want to be one of them. Omegas were highly prized within a pack and protected vigorously if their bloodline was not over represented. On the other hand, if their bloodline _was_ over represented, then they were worth more than their weight in gold to exchange with another pack, and create potential allies in an antagonistic society.

 

Jinyoung didn't want to be an omega because, in his pack, his bloodline was over represented. Which meant he would just be seen by the Uncles as a valuable commodity, a source of opportunity, and knowing his luck he would probably wind up being sold into slavery.

 

No, being an omega was probably the worst alternative of the three.

 

Jinyoung's general feeling of dread grew as the time for his Change drew near, not just because he couldn't see a result with a positive outcome, but because other factors made him anxious.

 

The first was that Jaebeom suddenly disappeared from school one day. Jinyoung tried to find out what happened to him, approaching Jaebeom's pack to enquire after his friend, only to be tersely told that it was Pack business, and not any of his.

 

Jaebeom never returned, time passed, and Jinyoung still hadn't Changed.

 

He was older than anybody he knew, and still didn't know what he was going to be. It made him anxious, and he wished desperately for the smile and comfort of Jaebeom, but he was gone. Jinyoung didn't make another close connection at school, and he didn't feel like he belonged in his own pack, so he carried his worries in his own head and fretted.

 

He guessed he really should have known, since his Change was unusual, that he was going to be unusual too. He presented as an omega, much to the glee of the Uncles.

 

He begged them to keep it quiet, to seek a pack to exchange him with cautiously, but the Uncles were too excited by the opportunity he presented and practically put him up for auction to the highest bidder.

 

The thing was, not only was Jinyoung a highly prized omega, but he had particularly striking colouring in his wolf form. The rarity that Jinyoung represented, even beyond normal omegas, drew a lot of attention.

 

Many packs vied for the blood he would bring, and there was even interest from other countries. Jinyoung cringed at the attention, the dread he had experienced while awaiting the Change now a permanent presence in his belly.

 

He was not surprised when he was abducted. Not surprised, but he was terrified.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Bundled into the back of a van and blindfolded, Jinyoung had no idea in what direction, or for how long they drove. He slept at times. He was fairly certain they travelled for more than a day, but he really lost track of time.

 

His captors spoke to each other in Mandarin. He could recognise the sound of the language, and knew a handful of words, but he had no idea what they were saying.

 

When they spoke to him, they spoke in Korean, one with an accent and one without. It really didn't tell him much except that one of his captors was from his own country, and one was a foreigner.

 

When they reached their destination, he was hauled out of the van and taken inside a building. It was cold outside of the vehicle, colder than it had been in the south where he lived.

 

It was only once he was inside that his blindfold was removed.

 

He was now in what could only be described as a cell. Windowless stone walls around three sides, bars leading to a windowless room on the fourth. He sank down onto the rough bed, noting the only other thing in the cell was a bucket, which he presumed he was to use as a toilet.

 

He sighed.

 

During the time he stayed in the cell, a lot of different men came to the bars, some to bring him food and water, to change his bucket, some just to look at him. They looked at him with unpleasant eyes, some assessing, and a couple that could only be described as 'hungry'. It made him very uncomfortable. He huddled in the corner of the cell and hoped that they would just go away. One of the men, more slight than the rest and buried under layers of oversized clothes, wouldn't look at him at all. He was the one that bothered Jinyoung the least.

 

There was someone in the cell next to his. They couldn't see each other, due to the stone wall between them, but they could hear each other and began to speak.

 

His neighbour did not speak much Korean, so Jinyoung had to resort to his English to communicate. His name was Jackson, and he was an omega too. Like Jinyoung he had been abducted, but he had been abducted from Hong Kong. He didn't know where they were either, but he knew he was a very long way from home.

 

Jackson wasn't a lot older than Jinyoung, and he too had Changed later than his peers. He had several months of being an omega on Jinyoung however, and he had been in his cell for a quite a number of weeks before Jinyoung arrived.

 

Jackson told Jinyoung that while the food and water they were served was safe to consume, it also apparently contained something that stopped them transforming into wolf form. Jinyoung hadn't transformed much since his Change, with everything that had been going on. When Jackson had told him that he tried, but couldn't.

 

Jackson also knew one thing that was invaluable to Jinyoung.

 

Jinyoung knew that alphas could exaggerate their scent markers to give themselves more presence, which the Uncles did on an almost permanent basis. What Jackson educated him on was that omegas could do the opposite, and mask the scent markers that revealed their status. He seemed surprised that the omegas in Jinyoung's pack hadn't explained to him how to do it.

 

Jackson explained to him, with some difficulty due to Jinyoung's limited English, how to do it and said that, as an omega, it was a particularly important thing to learn. Although it was frustratingly difficult for him, Jackson said because it was harder to do when an omega was afraid, Jinyoung eventually did.

 

The men stopped looking at him with hungry eyes. Their eyes were hard, flat and scary, which still made Jinyoung uncomfortable, but it was much more manageable than being looked at with the lasciviousness they had shown previously. Some of them stopped coming to stare at him entirely, which was somewhat of a relief.

 

The slight man, who previously would not look at Jinyoung now started to do so. Jinyoung was surprised at how young he was. He was the only one who Jinyoung didn't feel scared of, even though he was on the other side of the bars. He never looked at Jinyoung in an unpleasant way, or did anything that made him uncomfortable.

 

Being from Hong Kong, Jackson also knew quite a lot of Chinese. Mostly Cantonese, but he also knew some Mandarin. Korean and Mandarin were the only languages either Jinyoung or Jackson heard any of the men speak during their time in captivity. They didn't really get much out of anything that was said within their earshot, except the obvious – that they were valuable as omegas and that somehow they were going to bring profit to the group.

 

Jinyoung didn't like the sound of that.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Jinyoung awoke to a lot of noise and the smell of smoke.

 

He ran to the front of his cell, wrapped his hands around the bars and tried to squeeze his face through to see if he could see anything from the room next door.

 

To his surprise the door to his cell pushed open.

 

He was certain that he had heard it being locked when he had been brought food earlier. His meal had been delivered by the younger man, who had closed the door behind him and all the appropriate noises had occurred that happened when the lock was turned.

 

Yet the door swung open.

 

He cautiously stepped out, leaning to peek into the next room and see if any of their captors were present.

 

It was empty.

 

He stepped in front of Jackson's cell, wrapping his hands around the bars. “Jackson?”

 

Jackson was sitting up on his bed, looking confused, but at the appearance of Jinyoung, rushed to the front of the cell. He placed his hands over Jinyoung's. “Jinyoung? How are you out?”

 

“I don't know. My cell wasn't locked. I'm going to see if I can find the key to yours. I'm going to get you out.”

 

Jinyoung moved carefully into the next room. There were tables where the men ate, or played games, or did whatever it was that they did when they weren't looking at Jinyoung like he was a tasty treat. No one was there.

 

Jinyoung looked around, and was relieved to see the large keyring he was familiar with hanging on a peg on the wall. He grabbed it, and went back to Jackson, trying key after key until he found the one that fit. The cell unlocked and Jackson joined him on the other side.

 

Together they started moving through the building. Back in the room with tables, there were two doors. One was slightly ajar and looked like it contained cells like the ones they had been in. They looked at each other, nodded silently and went to check.

 

There were two boys, huddled together in one of the cells, looking terrified.

 

“It's okay,” Jinyoung said in Korean, “we're going to get you out.”

 

One of them looked up at him. The other kept his face buried in the other's shirt.

 

Jinyoung started trying to find the right key.

 

Jackson repeated, “We're getting you out,” in English.

 

The boy with the buried face turned his face cautiously to peer first at Jackson, and then at Jinyoung, still trying to fit a key into the lock. Jinyoung found the right one, and opened the cells. The boys stood, clutching each other uncertainly.

 

Jinyoung held out his hand to the taller one, the one that seemed to understand his Korean, and after a moment of hesitation, the boy took it. Jinyoung nodded reassuringly to the smaller boy as he lead the first out of the cell. The smaller boy grabbed the hand of the first, and all four of them left the room.

 

“They're just pups,” Jackson growled flatly. “They haven't even Changed yet, what are they doing here?”

 

Jinyoung shook his head and they headed towards the main door to the room.

 

Near the door was a rack of coat hooks with some heavy utilitarian jackets hanging from them. They smelled unpleasantly like the men who had held them captive. Remembering that it had been cold outside and they were currently unable to transform into wolf form, Jinyoung started to take down jackets and pass them to the others. He picked up one that had a particularly strong alpha scent, and associated it with one of the men who came to stare at him hungrily the most. He put the jacket on himself, even though he found it disturbing to be surrounded by the man's scent, because he remembered his struggle to mask his own. It occurred to him that when the men inevitably tried to track them, it might be more confusing if he was covered in the man's scent. That scent would surely be everywhere around the conclave and surrounds.

 

After a few more rooms, empty but for a growing amount of smoke, they found one with two doors. One was set in a different wall to all the other doors, which could possibly mean out. Before opening it, Jinyoung tried to carefully listen at the door in the other wall, but discovered that the wood was hot.

 

He wasn't going to open that one, there was a fire on the other side. There was also a lot of noise and voices. He took them out the other door.

 

They found themselves outside the building. It was night, but there was a moon and stars, and after a moment to let their eyes adjust, the four escapees ran into the woods behind their prison.

 

They ran as quickly as they could, afraid that any minute now they would be chased down by their captors.

 

There was noise behind them, footsteps, the sound of someone coming, and they were getting closer.

 

It was obvious that they weren't going to outrun whoever was following them, and once the footsteps told him that their pursuer was right on them, Jinyoung stopped. The others stopped, uncertainly, and with resolution Jinyoung pulled the boys in behind him, and turned to face their pursuer.

 

It was the young man, the one who wouldn't look at him at first. He stopped a few meters away from the four and looked at them.

 

“We're not going back,” Jinyoung said.

 

“No,” the man said in accented Korean, shaking his head. “You misunderstand. I don't want to take you back. I want to run with you.”

 

“What?” Jinyoung replied, squinting at him suspiciously.

 

“I want to run with you,” the man repeated. “I'm the one who left your cell unlocked. I'm the one who set that place on fire. Even if I was on the other side of the bars, I was a prisoner too. We need to run,” he implored. “They'll realise we're gone and will try and find us. We can lose them at the river.”

 

He started to move forward, drew up alongside Jinyoung and smiled tentatively. After a moment's hesitation, Jinyoung nodded at him, and then said in English, “he's coming with us. Let's go.”

 

The five of them ran. Their former captor didn't know the terrain, he hadn't been out running in the woods, but he knew the rough direction to go to find the river, having seen a map at the conclave.

 

He lead them right and the five plunged in, following the river's course for several kilometres, despite the freezing water, in order to lose their physical and scent trails in the water. Eventually they returned to dry land, exhausted, and knew they needed to find somewhere to stop and rest, and build a fire to stay warm while their sodden clothing dried.

 

They pushed themselves, Jinyoung murmuring soft words of encouragement to the boys to keep them going, and eventually they found themselves well away from the river in a sheltered area with a rock wall around three sides.

 

They gathered wood to light a fire and their former captor had kept the lighter he had started the fire in the compound with, so they hadn't needed to find out if they could light it by banging rocks together. Stripping off most of their wet clothing and propping it up with sticks near enough to the fire to dry, they huddled as close as they could to the fire themselves without burning their skin, cold, tired and hungry.

 

Whilst they were tired, they were also wired with the adrenaline from their flight. While they warmed, they started to speak quietly among themselves, in English, because it seemed to be the language they had most in common.

 

The two boys wouldn't speak, not even to give their names, the bigger of the two clinging to Jinyoung's hand and leaning into him. Their former captor's name was Mark, and he filled them in with what he knew. The bigger boy was Yugyeom, a Korean, and the smaller was a Thai boy called BamBam.

 

Some people had a theory that you could predict what a pup would be when he Changed based on physical traits. These two had been captured, despite not having Changed, because someone had seen the potential for their becoming omegas.

 

Which was also Mark's story.

 

“It's because I'm pretty,” he said, somewhat bitterly. “I was visiting family in Taiwan when they saw me. Even though I was young, like these two, the guy that grabbed me said there was no way someone as pretty as me wouldn't be an omega. They bet on it. It's one of their favourite pass times, to grab a pup and keep them until the Change. Of course hardly any ever turn out to be an omega, but when it happens, the man who snagged the pup makes a lot of money out of it.”

 

“You're an alpha,” Jinyoung said quietly, having recognised Mark's scent markers.

 

Mark nodded. “That's why they decided to keep me. Most of them are betas, and they figured I could be trained up and taught to fight, that I could help keep the captives in line. They never came to trust me though, made me drink the same stuff they gave you that prevents you from transforming. I didn't know what else to do, how to get away. I've been there for a few years now, and I never get to leave the compound. Seen pups and omegas come and go, and all I've been able to do is try and make it less unpleasant for them while they are there.” He shrugged.

 

“Why did you run with us?” Jackson asked. “Why now?”

 

Mark shrugged again. “I hate it there. I'd had enough. I'd been thinking about it for a while, planning. And you two... it isn't often that there are two omegas there at the same time. I figured now was as good a time as any. Get you two out, and the boys. I'm just sorry for the ones I didn't help that came before you.”

 

“You can only do what you can,” Jinyoung said soothingly.

 

They all stared into the fire for a few minutes.

 

“Where are we?” Jackson asked, breaking the silence.

 

“I'm not really sure,” Mark responded apologetically. “On the Korean peninsula somewhere. We're south of China, north of Seoul, just... somewhere in the mountains. The map I saw was only local, it didn't really show the greater topography for me to work that out. I just think if we keep heading south we'll find people eventually.”

 

“I'm not sure if I want to find people,” Jinyoung mumbled in Korean. Yugyeom squeezed his hand.

 

He had grown tired enough to sleep, so Jinyoung lay down on the ground. Yugyeom immediately joined him, snuggling up to him, and tucking his head under Jinyoung's chin. With a soft smile Jinyoung put his arm around him. One by one the others all fitted themselves around Jinyoung too, and he fell asleep, warm in the centre of a pile of comforting bodies.

 


	4. Chapter 4

They awoke without having slept long. The sun was not high in the sky, but the brief sleep they'd had had been surprisingly refreshing.

 

Their clothes had mostly dried, the heavy jackets still having some areas of dampness, but they were far warmer now as they redressed themselves.

 

It was unlikely they would be followed, having come out of the river on to large flat rocks which didn't leave footprints, but none of them ever wanted to go back to their prison. Without needing to speak of it, they all took extra time to be cautious, burying the fire, and redistributing the sticks that had held their clothes; hiding the evidence of their make shift camp.

 

“We should try and find something to eat,” Jackson said.

 

“That will be easier once we can transform again,” Mark responded.

 

“Do you know when that is likely to be?” Jackson asked him.

 

Mark shook his head. “Not really. Everyone who takes it takes it daily, but I'm pretty sure it lasts longer than that, and they're just being careful. We'll just have to keep trying.”

 

“We could go weeks without food technically,” Jinyoung said, but aware of his stomach growling added, “but I sure hope we don't have to.”

 

“There's wildlife and fish around,” Mark said. “We'll be able to bring something down once we can transform, or we'll reach civilisation. One or the other has to happen before too long. If the drug lasted multiple days they wouldn't bother giving it daily, and the Korean peninsula just isn't that big for us to wander around in the wilderness for too long.”

 

“Well,” Jinyoung said, still not sure how he felt about returning to civilisation, “we should get moving. That way is south,” he pointed, having taken note of the position of the sun. He looked around at the others, checking they were ready. Mark nodded and went first, setting out at a comfortable run unlike the panicked flight of the evening before. Jinyoung followed and could hear the sounds of the other three falling in behind.

 

They travelled for another day, running at a comfortable pace when they could, walking for periods to give their bodies a break. There wasn't much break to be had, however, as the area was mountainous, and there wasn't always the option to go around.

 

They didn't find anything they could eat, but managed to regularly find water which kept them hydrated. Another hungry evening curled up together near a fire passed, and they woke the next morning with the dawn.

 

Once again they hid their passing as best they could. They were fairly confident that they had safely escaped, but Jackson and Jinyoung were valuable, and their captors would be furious that they were gone. Paranoia kept them hiding their trail whenever they could. Following streams despite the wet feet, burying their fire, travelling over rocky surfaces whenever possible.

 

They were moving through a fairly flat area, when suddenly there was an excited noise behind Jinyoung. He turned around in time to see a juvenile wolf race past him, and to see Yugyeom, face of glee suddenly transforming and chasing after him.

 

“Finally!” Mark exclaimed, drawing Jinyoung's attention back to the front. Mark changed, and from behind, Jinyoung was passed by a wolf who had to be Jackson, running to catch up to the others.

 

They were all shades of grey. Jackson's fur was the darkest, a slate grey, and Mark the palest, a light silver colour. Mark was as fine boned a wolf as he was a man, even being an alpha wolf, who were usually sturdier. Mark had had the least trouble of them all in their travel, the least tired, always striking ahead to check the path if required while the others, particularly the boys, had a rest. He had an amazing constitution, and it was very apparent that looks could be deceiving.

 

Jinyoung watched the four gallivanting around each other excitedly, but hadn't himself transformed. The four came to a stop and were watching him. Waiting.

 

Jackson changed back into his human form. “Jinyoung? Are you okay? You can't change?”

 

Mark transformed next to him, frowning. “I don't think it has any greater effect on anyone. They weren't giving you extra or anything. Perhaps you took some later than the rest of us and you'll change in a bit?”

 

Jinyoung shook his head. “It's not that,” he said, self conscious, “It's just...”

 

“It's just what?” Jackson asked.

 

“Don't stare,” Jinyoung replied, raising his chin.

 

“Stare? Why would we stare?” Mark questioned.

 

Jinyoung closed his eyes briefly in resignation, quite aware that nothing he said was going to prevent them from staring anyway, and transformed.

 

“Oh my god!” Jackson exclaimed, staring.

 

“You're beautiful,” Mark said, agape.

 

Jinyoung heaved a wolfy sigh. He knew that. His fur was soft and thick, and a pure, snow white.

 

No one in his pack had known where his colouring came from. He wasn't an albino, his eyes were a normal shade. He wasn't descended from wolves from the Arctic, and even if he was, they were usually still a shade of pale grey, but Jinyoung was most decidedly white.

 

Jinyoung was attractive in his human form, but he was stunning as a wolf. When he had presented as an omega... it was what had gotten him into this mess in the first place.

 

He padded forward to where Yugyeom and BamBam waited, watching. Jackson and Mark changed again and joined them.

 

<<We should hunt,>> Jinyoung said, in the language of wolves, distracting them from his appearance, and to the thing that most occupied his own thoughts; his empty stomach.

 

Together and separately they ran, tracking down hares, squirrels and other small mammals. They were so hungry each of them ate meat raw, but once they had eaten enough that their bellies were calm, they carried their catches in their mouths and continued to run. It was easier on them all to run as wolves, their bodies better designed for the task.

 

But they were better with food preparation as men, and this time when they stopped for the evening, they were able to use the fire to singe the fur off of their kills and roast the flesh. While far from full, with the small creatures they had managed with great effort to find, they were not hungry when they fell asleep.

 

In the morning they rose, still tired, but brighter than they had been for the past couple of days. Following their routine of hiding their camp, they changed into their more travel friendly forms and set out once more on their journey south.

 

Later in the day they came upon evidence they were drawing nearer to others. Wolves had hunted in this area, their subtle passing marked in the ground and in faint scent. It seemed to be only two, which didn't really tell them much about what lay ahead, but they forged forward, following the path that grew steadily more apparent.

 

The smell of smoke, a woodfire, was in the air. It grew stronger as they moved, and soon they came into a clearing, where a cabin stood, looking out over a beautiful valley.

 

They transformed back into their human forms.

 

“Guard the pups,” Jinyoung said to Mark and Jackson, who nodded, moving in front of the two.

 

Jinyoung took a deep breath and approached the door to the cabin. He knocked, and there was a surprised sound from inside.

 

The door opened, and unexpectedly a familiar face regarded him with as much surprise as Jinyoung felt.

 

“Jaebeom!” Jinyoung exclaimed.

 

“Jinyoung, what..” Jaebeom began, but the events of the past few days had been weighing heavily on Jinyoung's shoulders, and at the relief of seeing a friendly face, his body gave up on him and he fell forward into Jaebeom's surprised arms.

 

Yugyeom started to move forward, but Mark held him back. “Yugyeom, no.”

 

Jaebeom looked up from Jinyoung in his arms to the four of them. He paused, looking at them assessingly one by one. “Come in, you're safe here,” he said eventually, scooping Jinyoung into his arms bridal style and carrying him into the cabin, leaving the door open behind.

 

Mark was the first to follow him in, the other three coming behind, and Jackson closing the door.

 

Jaebeom had set Jinyoung down on a thick rug near the fire. There was another person standing, watching them all come in, confused but curious.

 

“I, we...” Mark began, but was cut off by Jaebeom with a hand gesture.

 

“I can see you're all exhausted,” Jaebeom said. “If you're friends of Jinyoung's, you're safe here. We can talk after you rest.” he indicated Jinyoung on the rug.

 

Yugyeom had already taken his favoured place, curled up under Jinyoung's chin, but had his arm protectively over him, and was looking up at Jaebeom with defiance in his dark eyes.

 

Jaebeom chuckled at him. “He's safe. You're safe, pup.”

 

Yugyeom's eyes closed.

 

With no further pause, BamBam and Jackson gratefully collapsed in front of the fire and curled up around Jinyoung too.

 

Mark took a moment. He was an alpha and he didn't want to appear weak, but he had been running more than the others, checking the path ahead and guiding the others along the best route. More than that, he had also done the bulk of the hunting, having had more experience than either of the other two wolves, and certainly more than the pups. Even with his alpha constitution, he was probably more tired than the rest of them.

 

“Rest,” Jaebeom insisted. “Jinyoung and I are old friends. There is plenty of time to talk when you're not on the verge of collapse like him.”

 

Mark nodded in acceptance of Jaebeom's words, curled up with the others and was immediately asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is plenty more to come, but there will be a brief hiatus whilst I indulge in Got7's imminent come back, and also attend a conference in Singapore! I thought I'd at least get them safely to JB before I took the break. 
> 
> I hope you appreciate my benevolence.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I'd miss posting on Jinyoung's birthday?  
> DID YOU SEE HIM HALF NAKED (by his standards, not Jackson's) ON MUSIC BANK? OH MY GREAT AND MERCIFUL CHA.
> 
> Happy Birthday, my savage and loving Jinyoung! Prince of my Heart! Angel, demon, devourer of my soul.
> 
> Also, hello from Singapore!

Jinyoung woke up surprisingly comfortable, but as he opened his eyes he was inside a building. He sat up with a start, frightened to be in an unfamiliar place.

 

Yugyeom and BamBam were in their wolf forms, play fighting. Jinyoung relaxed. Wherever he was couldn't be bad if the pups were messing around. He looked around, and spotted Jaebeom, sitting in an armchair reading a book. Reacting to Jinyoung's stirring, he turned his eyes to Jinyoung and smiled.

 

Jaebeom had a nice smile. Jinyoung had forgotten just how nice his smile was.

 

“The other three are hunting. We didn't have the supplies to feed five unexpected guests,” Jaebeom said. He leaned forward on his elbows. “I've only been away from you for two years. How have you come to have two pups almost as old as you are, not to mention your own omega?” he said with a chuckle.

 

Jinyoung let out a short chuckle of his own, and thought about where to begin.

 

The door opened, and an unfamiliar person came in, followed by Mark and Jackson, carrying fresh kills.

 

“Oh good, you're finally awake,” the unfamiliar person said. “Go clean up, and take the pups with you. That one,” he said pointing at Yugyeom, “wouldn't leave your side.” He collected a pile of clothing and a towel from a table and handed it to Jinyoung, who took them automatically. “You all smell terrible,” he continued. “These clothes should fit you all all right,” he said, holding out similar piles to Yugyeom and BamBam, tapping his foot until they changed into human form and took them. “There's a bath room around the back. Go use it. Leave your dirty clothes in the hamper, I'll burn... I mean, wash them later.”

 

Jinyoung was taken aback, and didn't quite know how to process what was happening. He looked at Jaebeom for help, who laughed.

 

“My beta, Youngjae. I'd do what he says if I were you. He gets bossy when it comes to cleanliness.”

 

“Okay, and then we talk?” Jinyoung asked.

 

“And then we definitely talk,” Jaebeom agreed.

 

Around the back of the cabin was a bath house in Japanese style. The room was behind the fire place, and was warm from radiating heat. The water in the tub was kept warm too, and looked inviting.

 

Jinyoung stripped out of his filthy clothes gratefully. He sat on a little stool and sluiced water over himself, washing his body and hair clean of the dirt and grime that he had accumulated, not just from their journey, but from the prison he'd been kept in.

 

He made sure Yugyeom and BamBam did the same, the pair stripping off and trying to get straight into the tub without cleaning themselves off first.

 

Once all three of them were clean of grime, they climbed into the delightful warm water and soaked, the heat of the water relaxing their muscles and easing the tension of the past days and weeks.

 

Jinyoung wasn't sure how long they soaked for, but it didn't seem anywhere near like long enough when the door opened, and Mark poked his head in. “If you haven't fallen back asleep in there, food is ready.”

 

“I live here now,” Jinyoung replied, without opening his eyes.

 

Mark grinned. “While I'm sure Jaebeom will be fine with you moving into his bathtub, you need to eat, and I can guarantee you Youngjae won't let you eat in the bath.”

 

“Fine, we're coming,” Jinyoung replied reluctantly, opening his eyes and casting a judgemental gaze at Mark who disappeared out the door again, still grinning. Food did sound really good though.

 

He chivvied the boys out of the water and they dried themselves, dressing in the clothes Youngjae had given them before. Clean and presentable they returned to the main part of the cabin.

 

Jaebeom smiled as he re-entered, and Jinyoung smiled back at him. Jinyoung's smile fell a little when Jaebeom frowned, a little puzzled. “Jinyoung?” he said quietly, “Your scent is completely different, and you're not an alpha. What are you?”

 

“Oh,” Jinyoung laughed ruefully. “No, I'm not an alpha. And it looks like I was too much of a pain in the ass to be a beta.”

 

“Then...” Jaebeom said, eyebrows rising in surprise.

 

“Yeah,” Jinyoung confirmed.

 

“It seems... unrealistic that you're an omega leading a pack with an alpha,” Jaebeom said. “Not that I don't believe you, but I've never heard of anything like it.”

 

“Okay, no, I'm not leading...”

 

“Yes, you are,” Mark interjected.

 

“I, what?” Jinyoung said plaintively, turning to him. Mark shrugged. Jinyoung looked at Jackson, then BamBam and Yugyeom.

 

“Okay, fine. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm an omega,” Jinyoung said, turning back to Jaebeom. Jaebeom still had an expression that things just didn't make any sense, and so Jinyoung decided to make things perfectly clear, and dropped his scent mask.

 

The reaction was immediate. “Oh god,” Jaebeom said in a guttural voice, knuckles turning white as he gripped the back of the armchair fiercely. “Don't do that. You smell delicious.”

 

Jinyoung blinked in surprise. He knew that the distinctive scent of omegas was particularly attractive to alphas, but Jaebeom's reaction was far stronger than anything he had anticipated. He hastily put the mask back in place, and turned his head to look at Mark. Mark had gone a bit pink in the cheeks, but was mostly unperturbed. He looked back at Jaebeom, “Sorry, I...” he turned back to Mark. “Is it, am I... is it that bad? I mean, at the prison, I got stared at a lot before I learned to mask, but...”

 

“It's not _bad_ ,” Mark reassured him, “and it totally depends. Only a couple of the men were alphas anyway. They were staring at you for all sorts of reasons.” Mark cast an assessing look at Jaebeom who looked back at him with challenge in his eyes. “But yeah, some omegas are more appealing to some alphas than others.”

 

“What are you saying?” Jackson asked. “I can't keep up. Why are you and Jaebeom eyeing each other like that? Do we need to separate you?”

 

Mark switched to English. “I'm just explaining to Jinyoung that some omegas are more appealing to some alphas than others, that's why some of the guards, and this guy keep looking at him like that.”

 

“Are you calling me fat?” Jackson asked impertinently. “Neither of you have looked at _me_ like that.”

 

Mark laughed. “No.”

 

“It's just that Jinyoung is prettier than me then?” Jackson continued, holding the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically.

 

“Shut up, Jackson,” Mark laughed. “You already know how this works.”

 

“Also Jinyoung _is_ prettier than me,” Jackson said in a normal voice.

 

“You're perfectly pretty, Jackson,” Mark chastised. “Stop fishing for compliments.” He changed back to Korean and continued, “Now speaking of smelling delicious, Youngjae has gone to some trouble to make us food and we really should appreciate his efforts and eat it.”

 

“Thank you,” Youngjae said happily. “Come on, take a seat and fill your bellies. None of you look like you've eaten properly in months. Particularly you,” he said, eyeing Mark.

 

“It's just my metabolism,” Mark protested, but wasn't reluctant to eat several helpings.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annyeong! I'm back. Singapore was lovely.  
> How marvellous is Lullaby's success? At this juncture we've got seven music show wins! I'm so thrilled for them!

After they ate, they settled in comfortably around the fire to talk. The five escapees shared their stories with Jaebeom and Youngjae. Listening to their horriffic tale, Youngjae clucked his tongue and rubbed BamBam on his back. Jaebeom looked thunderous, his jaw sticking out in the way Jinyoung remembered it did when he was unhappy.

 

"This is the reason I live here in the middle of no where now," he said angrily. "People are terrible. Abducting pups and omegas for profit is outrageous. Worse than that, though, I can't believe your own pack would be more interested in what you're worth to them than your wellbeing, Jinyoung."

 

Jinyoung shrugged unhappily. He didn't understand it either.

 

"Why do you live out here like this?" Mark asked quietly.

 

Jaebeom looked at him and heaved a sigh. "Politics. Everything was fine in my life until I Changed. I went to school, I had a best friend," he smiled at Jinyoung, "I thought I had a wonderful pack and I was happy."

 

"But then I Changed and I became an alpha. I was excited about it. Omegas might be rare, but alphas are uncommon too and I thought it was a good thing. In my pack, however, there was infighting I had been blissfully unaware of. There is one line that are in control, and a branch family. I was in the branch family and my being an alpha gave too many alphas in the branch family, threatening to destabilise the main line. So I was thrown out, suddenly. I was given some money to live on, but I had to leave, and immediately before I could cause trouble."

 

"Your pack wouldn't tell me anything," Jinyoung said. "Now I understand why."

 

Jaebeom nodded. "I begged them to let me say goodbye to you, but I was literally bundled up, and sent away. I could have looked for another pack to join, a weaker pack that would welcome the inclusion of an alpha, but I was disillusioned and bitter. I decided to just go and live by myself. I built this cabin and I've been living here by myself until Youngjae turned up."

 

"What's your story, Youngjae?" Jackson asked.

 

Youngjae looked distressed and BamBam leaned in to him comfortingly.

 

"Politics as well. Two of my pack's alphas started a war. They wanted me to choose sides. I don't want to fight, I don't want conflict. I ran away."

 

"I found him filthy, alone and hungry. He comes from a fishing town, he wasn't the best at hunting game," Jaebeom said, "so I took him in, took care of him, and now he takes care of me." Jaebeom smiled at Youngjae, and the sad expression on Youngjae's face lifted and he smiled back.

 

"I'd heard this kind of conflict existed in some packs," Jinyoung admitted.

  
"A lot of packs actually. Since the Change producing omegas has become so rare, and the rate of Change for alphas has also decreased, conflict between alphas seem to have become more violent in many packs. Not everyone welcomes alphas into their pack, but betas and omegas have always been safe and welcome. So I thought, anyway."

 

"It's ridiculous," Jaebeom continued, glower returning to his face as he stared into the fire. "At least as far as the three of us are concerned," he said indicating himself, Youngjae and Jinyoung, "we've been let down horribly. Maybe the pups too, for all we know." It didn't escape his notice that Yugyeom looked away.

 

"What happened to a pack standing together? Alphas don't have to fight each other, they should fight _for_ each other. Think how much stronger a pack would be if they worked together instead of trying to protect their own personal fishbowl. Why can't packs work together as well? Why do we have to fight our neighbours? It's stupid."

 

The others murmured in agreement, and silence settled over them.

 

Jackson broke the silence, still thinking about something Jaebeom had said earlier. "You built this place yourself?" he asked, gesturing around.

 

Jaebeom nodded. "Used some of the money my pack paid me off with to buy some of the materials like metals, glass and cement, but what I could collect myself I did, to save costs. Cut the wood, collected stone. It's still a work in progress, I'm extending the main building, and I've even considered other structures I could put up if other strays found their way here like Youngjae."

 

"I'm a city kid," Jackson said, "no idea how to do handiman stuff." He looked around at the others, and they indicated the same. "This is pretty impressive."

 

"Did you want to learn?" Jaebeom asked, a bit hesitantly, not sure about the praise he was recieving. "I was intending to do some work today, if the weather was clear, which it is."

 

The faces brightened at the concept and Jaebeom laughed. "I never expected to have anyone want to learn how to do this sort of stuff, but come on then. I'll make builders out of the lot of you."

 

Jaebeom the foreman was organised and vigilant. He made sure no one was doing a task they weren't capable of, and he had a sixth sense when it came to the two pups getting sidetracked into mischief. Jinyoung smiled a lot, watching everyone happily working, learning new skills.

 

As the afternoon began to grow late, Youngjae approached Jinyoung and Mark to help hunt more food for dinner. Jackson and the pups were absorbed in their tasks.

 

"Hey!" Jinyoung called up to where they were precariously, if he had a say in it, perched on the roof of the building. Four faces looked down at him.

 

"We're going to go get dinner."

 

Jaebeom waved a hand in acknowledgement.

 

"BamBam, Yugyeom," Jinyoung called out again. The boys looked at him. "Don't cause Jaebeom trouble. Youngjae and I will hear about it. You either Jackson!"

 

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Jackson replied, grinning.

 

Jinyoung paused awhile, watching as the four returned to their tasks, the two boys engaged with Jaebeom's instructions and needing less of Jaebeom's supervision than Jackson, if truth be told.

 

Smiling, Youngjae tugged on his elbow, and Jinyoung smiled back at him, morphed into his wolf form and joined Mark waiting at the treeline.

 

 

 

After dinner Jaebeom and Jinyoung got comfortable and talked. They had two years of their lives to catch up on, and the conversation kept flowing.

 

They didn't notice Youngjae's satisfied smile or Yugyeom's yawn as the two looked over in their direction. Youngjae gently touched Yugyeom and indicated his head towards the rug on the floor. With a slightly longing look towards Jinyoung, Yugyeom accepted Youngjae's invitation, and curled up under his chin to sleep in Jinyoung's stead. One by one the others curled up around them as Jinyoung and Jaebeom kept talking, lost in their own world.

 

It was very late when Jinyoung started to yawn. The fire had died down to warm embers and they finally noticed the pile of bodies on the floor, Yugyeom snugly under Youngjae's chin.

 

"Looks like you're with me," Jaebeom said, smiling.

 

"I can find space..." Jinyoung demurred, gesturing at the sleeping bodies.

 

Jaebeom took his hand and pulled gently. "First, they're fast asleep. Let them sleep. Second, you wouldn't be too comfortable, there is only floorboards free. Third, my bed is completely comfortable. Fourth, I normally sleep with Youngjae. I'm used to sleeping holding on to someone. I'll sleep better if you do."

 

Jinyoung let him lead him into the room, smiling. "You normally sleep with Youngjae?"

 

"Just sleep," Jaebeom said with a grin. "You know what it's like, it's comforting. Youngjae went through a lot and holding him at night made him feel better. Me too, for that matter. Now, I'm just used to it."

 

Jaebeom tugged Jinyoung onto the bed and they positioned themselves, Jaebeom spooning Jinyoung and wrapping him securely in his arms. Jinyoung smiled as he fell asleep, feeling safer than he had in years.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

In the morning when Jinyoung awoke, he'd rolled over in the night. He found himself facing Jaebeom, with whom he was now sharing a pillow. Jaebeom's eyes were closed, his lashes fanned out across his cheeks, and his face was relaxed as he continued to sleep.

 

Jinyoung smiled, looking at his peaceful face. He really had missed him.

 

What he wasn't quite used to, was him feeling like safety. He didn't want to move because lying here with Jaebeom, even unconscious, made Jinyoung feel more at peace than he could ever remember feeling in his entire life.

 

So Jinyoung lay quietly, observing Jaebeom's face as he slept.

 

He had forgotten how handsome Jaebeom was, and now being faced with the reality, had been literally visibly reminded.

 

When they had been together at school Jaebeom had been the good looking one of the pair. Jinyoung had always been a little self conscious of his own appearance, his ears that stuck out a bit too much, his eyebrows that were a bit too thick and fierce, the lines that formed around his eyes when he laughed.

 

Jaebeom, on the other hand, was just perfect and Jinyoung had always presumed that when people looked in their direction, it was Jaebeom who drew their gaze. Jaebeom, who was not only handsome, but also charismatic, intelligent, athletic, popular, funny, and frequently ridiculous. Jinyoung had thought people probably were envious of his position as best friend.

 

He hated that he had been abducted and imprisoned, but he was eminently grateful that their flight from that place had reunited him once again with Jaebeom. How long for, he didn't know, but it was so good to see him, and it was so nice to feel at peace, even if it was only for a little while.

 

Jaebeom's eyelids flickered as he moved towards consciousness. Jinyoung smiled at him as his eyes opened, and Jaebeom smiled back at him, before yawning and lifting the arm that had been resting on Jinyoung's waist, to muss up his presumably already messy bed hair.

 

"Morning," Jaebeom said through the yawn.

 

"Good morning," Jinyoung replied, with a small chuckle.

 

Jaebeom wiped the tears that had appeared with his yawn from his eyes, and tucked his hand under his chin, regarding Jinyoung seriously for a little while as he continued to blink awake. Jinyoung looked back at him, wondering what was going through Jaebeom's mind.

 

"So what are you going to do now?" Jaebeom asked softly, echoing Jinyoung's own thoughts.

 

Jinyoung sighed. "I don't really know," he replied. "I hadn't really thought much about it, beyond getting out of that place. Now I've got two pups and two foreigners to look after."

  
"You could walk into any high class establishment in Gangnam, transform and drop your mask and you know the richest, the most powerful packs would fight for you to go with them. You'd have whatever help you needed with the others."

 

Jinyoung shook his head. "I've never wanted to be rich, or powerful, and I definately don't want to be an acquisition. I just want to belong."

 

Jaebeom paused, keeping eye contact with Jinyoung, and then cleared his throat. "You could stay here. You and your weird little pack."

 

Jinyoung felt a surge of hope, but was still unsure and bit his lip. "I don't want to impose..."

  
"Impose? You staying here is the furthest thing from an imposition, Jinyoung!" Jaebeom said in surprise, sitting up. "Even ignoring the fact that you're an omega and the prettiest wolf to ever exist," Jaebeom said emphatically, "completely disregarding all that... you're my friend. I've missed you these past two years, more than I should like to admit, since you'll invariably gloat about it at some point. But I have. You are so, so welcome to stay, if that's what you want. I can tell you with complete honesty it is absolutely what I want."

 

"I..." Jinyoung sat up too, and twisted his fingers in his lap uncertainly.

 

"Say you'll stay," Jaebeom insisted.

 

"The others..." Jinyoung looked sideways at him.

 

"I just told you they are welcome too!"

 

"Didn't you say you wanted to be alone?" Jinyoung asked.

 

Jaebeom smiled ruefully. "I did, but that was just me being angry and bitter. Youngjae helped me get my head out of my own ass, and then you, impossibly, come along with four others whose company I have enjoyed immensely."

 

"To tell the truth," Jaebeom continued, "while I was busy being bitter and angry, I also did dream of starting my own pack. One that wouldn't treat me the way mine did me, or yours did you. One that works with each other and has good relationships with surrounding packs. If the others want to go home to their packs, we can help them do that, but if they want to stay... why would I not want them? A cheeky omega, two mischievous pups, and an alpha secure enough in himself to let you lead for the good of the group, but who also worked himself to exhaustion making sure you were all safe."

 

Jinyoung nodded, relieved. He wanted to stay. He wanted to stay so badly, here with Jaebeom in his cabin in the middle of nowhere, where he felt safe and peaceful. He didn't know what the others wanted, but all he could do was approach the topic.

 

 

 

Later, when Youngjae was busy preparing a meal for them, and Jaebeom was outside cutting more wood for the fire, Jinyoung sat the others down and asked them.

  
"So, what now?" he asked, looking around at them all. "Shall we find your pack so you can go home, Yugyeom?"

 

Yugyeom shook his head vigorously.

 

"You don't want to go home?" Jinyoung said in surprise at his vehemence.

 

Yugyeom clutched his hand, looking at him imploringly.

 

"He wants to stay with you," BamBam said in a soft voice. Jinyoung looked at BamBam, surprised to hear him speak, then at Yugyeom, who nodded in confirmation of BamBam's words.

 

"Can we stay here?" BamBam asked plaintively. "With Jaebeom and Youngjae?"

 

"Well, yes," Jinyoung said, further surprised by BamBam. "Jaebeom actually invited us to stay, if we want."

 

"All of us?" Jackson asked hopefully.

 

Jinyoung started to smile. He hadn't anticipated this response. "Yes. All of us."

 

"Even me?" Mark said tentatively.

 

"What do you mean 'even you'? Yes Mark, everyone includes you."

 

"It's just," Mark said waving a hand vaguely at himself, "you know, alphas have caused so much trouble for you and Youngjae and Jaebeom, having another around..."

 

Jinyoung smiled fondly. "Jaebeom likes you. He likes who you are, your strength as an alpha, but that you're not unnecessarily aggressive. You heard him talk about how he feels, how he thinks things should be, what he wants. Didn't what he say sound like what you want too?"

 

Mark nodded.

 

"So stay."

 

A relieved smile appeared on Mark's face.

 

"But... don't any of you want to find your way back to your packs? No one?"

 

They all shook their heads.

 

"I want to stay here too," Jackson said. "You feel like..." he searched for the right word.

 

"Home," Mark supplied.

 

"Yes!" Jackson agreed immediately.

 

"And Jaebeom feels like..." Mark started.

 

"Safety!" Jackson leaped in, bouncing a bit up off his chair in his excitement at the right word coming to him.

 

"Exactly!" Mark nodded, grinning.

 

"I love my pack," Jackson said, "but... it just feels right. Here, with everyone. I would like to try and contact my pack, tell them that I'm all right. But... if we really are welcome to stay, I want to."

 

"That's exactly it," Mark said. "Exactly what he said."

 

BamBam and Yugyeom nodded too.

 

"Then it looks like we're all staying," Jinyoung said, smiling at them all.

 

Jaebeom stepped inside, kicking his shoes off at the door. He looked up to seem them all looking at him, smiling happily. "What..." he began, but stopped when Yugyeom and BamBam launched themselves at him, clinging each to one of his arms and bouncing.

 

"Everyone wants to stay," Jinyoung explained, laughing at Jaebeom's bafflement.

 

"Everyone?" Jaebeom asked, a hopeful smile dawning on his face.

 

"Everyone," Jinyoung confirmed.

 

The boys released his arms, but didn't stop bouncing. Jaebeom smiled, pleased and bashfully rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess we'd better get to expanding this place then."

 


	8. Chapter 8

Sitting around the table for the midday meal, Jaebeom outlined his plans for expansion to accommodate his sudden instant pack. The cabin where they were all staying had been fine when it was just him, and even with the addition of Youngjae, but five extra people, even if they were quite content to sleep in a pile on the floor, was a bit too much for the space.

“The priority though,” Jaebeom said, “is building the heat retreat.”

“Heat retreat?” Mark asked with a chuckle.

“Yeah. It should be months before either of our omegas go into heat, but we need to get it built before the weather turns too unpleasant. No one wants to be building in ice once winter is properly upon us, and I don't think my bedroom is isolated enough,” he grinned.

“Sounds like you've got a plan?” Jackson encouraged.

Jaebeom nodded. “Honestly, I never knew if I'd have a pack of my own, but I got a lot of pleasure planning a layout, how to construct the buildings.”

“This cabin is fantastic,” Jinyoung said, “I could live in that bathroom.”

Jaebeom laughed at him. “You'd go all pruney. I much prefer your skin the way it is,” he ran the backs of his fingers over Jinyoung's cheek affectionately. “But the bathroom suited the place. It's cold up here most of the time, so I was liable to have a fire going most of the time, so I made a bathroom that utilised the fire. The Retreat will be quite different. The couple aren't really capable of taking care of themselves. They rely on the pack, so the building will enable that.”

“How so?” Mark inquired.

“I want to build it like old royal personal quarters. I mean, an antechamber where the pack can enter to bring food and that sort of thing, but another set of doors so they don't disturb the couple, no matter what they're doing at the time. Warmth again is on my mind, so I want to build it with an external fire the pack can tend. There will be space under the floorboards where the hot air funnels out to the other side, so the couple will be comfortable. My understanding is that things like making sure they stay warm enough when they're not... keeping themselves warm physically... is not a priority in the heat.”

Mark had been quietly translating the complicated explanation to Jackson and BamBam.

“But won't we need two retreats?” BamBam asked softly. “We have two omegas.”

Jackson shook his head. “Doesn't work like that. Alphas are naturally antagonistic and competitive amongst each other. They compete for omegas, control of packs, territory, that sort of thing. Betas are naturally ambivalent and easy going. Omegas are cooperative and supportive. The hormones that are active when an omega is in heat might drive alphas crazy to mate with them, but they also tell another omega not to go into heat yet. You don't get two in heat at once, so we only need one place for them to go.”

“I have the perfect site for it,” Jaebeom continued, “up the back a bit away from this cabin, isolated but close enough that the pack will be able to keep an eye on the pair and protect them. It's also not too far if there's a blizzard or some other kind of inconvenient inclement weather. The pack needs to be able to tend to them too.”

“Well I've got a really important question, since we have limited time for building before bad weather is the norm,” Jackson said, with a serious expression on his face.

“Yes?” Jaebeom encouraged him to speak his concern.

“Since we likely won't have another building up, when you're busy with Jinyoung during his heat, are you particularly possessive about other people sleeping in your bed?” Jackson grinned.

Mark and Youngjae giggled.

Jaebeom immediately went on the defensive. “Well, I'm not necessarily... I mean, Jinyoung might...” Jaebeom trailed off as the grin on Jackson's face grew. Jaebeom looked around the table and there were a lot of smirks and smiles.

“Lead alpha aside, if you honestly think that Jinyoung will let anyone other than you be with him during his heat, you're very misguided,” Mark chuckled.

“I just want Jinyoung, and Jackson,” Jaebeom said a bit stiffly, “to feel they have autonomy. I know what Jinyoung's pack was like, and I don't want him to feel like he doesn't get a say in things that affect him.”

Jaebeom could feel colour rising in his face. Part of it was irritation at their teasing. He knew they were only teasing, but he didn't want his message to get lost. Part of it was embarrassment at being on the receiving end of the teasing. It's not that he couldn't handle having fun made of him once in a while, but in this case he really wanted what they were saying to be true. He floundered a bit, not knowing quite how to comport himself.

He felt Jinyoung's leg press up against his under the table, and cast a sideways glance at him. Jinyoung looked as awkward as Jaebeom felt, and he suddenly didn't really care about the teasing. He lowered his hand under the table, squeezing Jinyoung's knee gently in reply and was rewarded with a shy smile.

Jaebeom failing to rise to their teasing further, the rest of the pack one by one returned to their meals. Before he could return to eating his own meal, however, his hand was taken by Jinyoung and Jaebeom was, in that moment, very content that he was left handed, because while he normally ate with his right, he had no desire whatsoever to remove that hand from Jinyoung's.

  
* ~ * ~ *

“Jackson,” Jinyoung asked as he dried the meal's dishes, “have you had a heat yet?”

“Sort of,” Jackson replied.

“How do you 'sort of' have a heat?” Jinyoung said, eyebrows raised and turning to face him.

Jackson kept washing the dishes. “That's part of how I got taken, actually. I didn't realise I'd started my heat and was out in public. By the time I realised what was going on, and went to go home, they'd already noticed me and grabbed me. The trauma of the situation caused my heat to abort.”

“I don't really know much about what to expect,” Jinyoung admitted. “In my pack the omegas would disappear from time to time and I knew that it was their time, but I was taken so quickly after my Change no one really sat me down and told me anything. How did you know, exactly?”

“I just felt a bit off. Like I was coming down with something. I'm not really one to take it easy at home at the best of times, so it never occurred to me to be cautious, even not feeling all that great, so I went out. I was in air conditioning in a shopping centre, but I just felt so hot. I actually went to strip off my shirt... the compulsion was almost irresistible, but then I realised what was going on. Turned right around and went to go back home, but...”

“You got abducted.”

Jackson nodded.

“But didn't you tell me you got taught by your pack how to mask as soon as you Changed?”

Jackson nodded again. “Yeah, so this was part of me not ever being cautious. There's times when omegas can't mask. Like I told you back in that place, one is when they are scared. It's a safety design. When an omega is scared they need protection from the pack, theoretically. That's why it was so hard for you to learn how to do it.”

Jinyoung made a sound of acknowledgement.

“The second is when they are turned on. Which is kind of inconvenient sometimes, there's no being coy when you're an omega, but its all part of proliferation of the species. When we go into heat, we're basically just a walking pile of hormones and our bodies say we're turned on all the time. So I was wandering around blithely thinking I was coming down with the flu, and just stuck a mask over my face, when I might as well have been naked shaking my thing for attention as far as all the wolves around were concerned.”

“But you never really reached your full heat. You don't know what it was like beyond the early stages?”

Jackson nodded in confirmation. “Yeah. But I did get the talking to by my pack so I know what to expect. It is irresponsible of yours to not have talked to you straight away, even if the Uncles were total assholes. Your omegas should have been looking out for you. Anyway, I can summarise it all pretty easily.”

Jinyoung waited for Jackson's revelation.

“You're going to lose your mind for a week, and have a lot of sex. Like, a lot,” Jackson said, looking at him with complete seriousness. “The only sleep you'll get is if you manage to fall unconscious, otherwise you'll pretty much be clawing at him to give it to you. So I'm told.”

Jinyoung blinked. “Surely you're exaggerating.”

“Nope. All the hormones in an omega are screaming for them to be mated and produce pups, and they're releasing pheromones that make alphas go crazy too. Alphas have been known to fight to the death over an omega in heat, which I guess is why in the past when omegas were more common you got more bonded pairs.”

“So yeah,” Jackson continued, “that's why your omegas would disappear for the week, and why Jaebeom is planning the Retreat. It isn't safe for anyone to be around them.” he grinned. “Not even the mating alpha. They get a hell of a work out keeping up with the omega's demands. Their stamina gets tested pretty hard for that week.”

Jinyoung chewed his lip. “It sounds kind of terrifying, I'm not fond of losing control of myself.”

“It isn't though. It's completely natural, nothing to be afraid of. The pack help you through it. They mightn't come too close, but you get brought food to keep your stamina up, and afterwards you're both so exhausted the pack help get you back on your feet.”

“And while you might lose your mind, hmm, how do I explain this. If you're not comfortable, then the heat breaks – like it did with me. Omegas are active and willing participants. In normal packs omegas are usually drawn to the dominant alpha, but they can't be forced to mate with someone they don't want to. It's about extending the pack, and there isn't anything to be ashamed of afterwards.”

Jinyoung nodded.

Jackson looked at him. “If it makes you feel any better, you should have quite a lot of months before you have a heat. Midwinter through Spring is normal, which is a fair ways off still. It'll be awhile before either of us is likely to go through it now, and you won't if you're not comfortable. Relax.”

Jinyoung stayed silent for a while, thinking. Then he asked Jackson the other thing that had been bothering him.

“Does it hurt?” he asked quietly.

Jackson stopped what he was doing and stared at him, appalled. “Jinyoung, what the hell was wrong with your pack? How can you not know the answer to that?”

Jinyoung shrugged unhappily. “Because I was never going to get near an omega, I guess. If I'd changed into a beta then of course it was out, but even if I'd changed into an alpha, the dominant alphas wouldn't have let me near one. No one expected me to be one, so no one has told me anything. It just seems to me that it's going to hurt.”

“No, Jinyoung. It doesn't hurt,” Jackson said in frustration, not at Jinyoung, but at the failure of his pack to teach the young omega anything. “That doesn't sound productive for the proliferation of the species. Our bodies are different to the others. When we're turned on, and of course during heat we're always turned on, we produce a lubricant, and there's hormones that make everything relax and it actually feels really, really good.”

“So, you've done it then?” Jinyoung asked.

“Sure have. Don't need to wait for a heat to get busy! I wanted to see what it was like as soon as I Changed. It was actually better than I'd expected.” he grinned. “You'll see.”

“Thanks, Jackson,” Jinyoung said appreciatively. “I'm glad you're here.”

“You wouldn't need me if your pack weren't such useless tits,” Jackson grumbled. “I'd dearly love to give them a piece of my mind. They didn't deserve you in the first place.” Jackson reached out and hugged Jinyoung into his side with one arm. “I'm glad you're here too,” he said affectionately.


	9. Chapter 9

In order to expand their home, Jaebeom needed to go purchase more supplies and invited Jinyoung along for the ride. Since Jackson and Mark wanted to make phone calls to their packs, they tagged along too.

Jaebeom had an old utility vehicle with only three seats in the cabin. Jaebeom of course was driving and Jackson took the passenger seat. Mark was happy to sit in the tray in wolf form and stick his face into the wind. That left Jinyoung squeezed in between Jackson and Jaebeom, his thigh pressing up against Jaebeom's, and their shoulders touching. It was nice. Whenever Jaebeom laughed the vibrations rippled through Jinyoung and there was always gentle movement as Jaebeom's arm operated the vehicle.

Jinyoung wondered why he'd never been as aware of Jaebeom before, but figured it had something to do with their status, because suddenly he was conscious of casual contact and the pleasant rumble of Jaebeom's laugh.

They had to drive for some time, down a mountainous path, to reach a town that had what Jaebeom needed, a hardware centre with building supplies. There was a public phone in the town too, so Mark and Jackson got out in the town centre to make their calls while Jaebeom and Jinyoung went to the hardware store to stock up on supplies.

Jaebeom told them, when they were done, to meet them at the herbalists store. He was a regular there and it was somewhere warm and comfortable for whichever pair finished first to wait, and he also had some business to do.

It was Mark and Jackson who arrived first. They stopped first at a café to buy coffee and collect themselves after their conversations. They were both a little teary and emotional after having spoken to their families about their whereabouts and well being. Now in clearer frames of mind they entered the unassuming looking building and a bell jangled over their heads.

“Hey there. Can I help you with something?” the guy behind the counter said.

“Not at the moment,” Mark replied. “We're Jaebeom's pack,” Mark smiled a little saying that, “he says you know him, that we should wait for him here.”

“Jaebeom? Oh, JB. Yeah. Cool. Good. I don't actually know my way around this place all that well. JB could find stuff faster than I can anyways.”

With a bright expression, Jackson immediately approached the counter, leaning on it and smiling at the shop assistant. “Well hello,” he said, with what he hoped was a charming smile and his best Korean, “I don't know what I need help with, but you can help me anyway.”

“Jackson,” Mark said, following him up. “Restrain yourself.”

“But he's cute.”

Mark blinked at Jackson.

The shop assistant looked nonplussed. “Well to be honest, I'm not the best at helping anyone in this place. I'm only here because we had a bit of an issue. Our omega was acting out and he only listens to Joon. Joon's really the only one who knows about this stuff,” he said, taking in the whole shop with his gesture.

“What have I told you about talking to strange alphas about our omega, Taehyung?” an irritated voice came from the doorway behind the counter.

“Okay first,” Taehyung said as a tall man entered the room, “this guy,” he indicated Jackson, “is an omega himself,” he tapped his nose with a knowing smile at Jackson's expression of surprise that he had so easily identified his status, “and from what I've seen, the alpha has his hands full with him; and second, they are pack with JB.”

“Oh, JB's pack? They're cool then,” the other man said, relaxing. “Hi, I'm Namjoon.”

“Well hi yourself,” Jackson said with a flirtatious smile. Namjoon raised his eyebrows.

“See what I mean?” Taehyung said.

“Yeah, okay,” Namjoon said, then turning to Mark, “Good luck with that one.”

“Oh, he doesn't need luck,” Jackson interjected suggestively. “Have you seen him?”

Mark floundered a bit. “Mark,” he said eventually, extending his hand to Namjoon who took it and grinned at him, dimples popping.

“Oh, hello, dimples!” Jackson said appreciatively.

“Jackson!” Mark said in English. “What's gotten into you? Are you in heat?”

“I could be,” Jackson winked at him. Mark stared levelly at him. Jackson huffed out a breath. “I've been locked away for how long? I like attractive guys. You're all attractive. So shoot me.”

“Locked away?” Namjoon repeated, clearly having understood the exchange.

“Very long story,” Mark said, returning to Korean for the benefit of Taehyung who was looking lost. “But apparently he's gone more stir crazy then I appreciated. So how do you know Jaebeom?” he changed the subject, not sure quite what to do with Jackson.

Namjoon gestured around the shop. “Herbs. JB and Youngjae seem to enjoy gallivanting around that mountain of theirs and are great at finding the good stuff. Sell them to me and I sell them on for profit, or turn them into medicines. Works for us all.”

“He could go and get them himself and make all the profit, being a big bad alpha, except he doesn't,” Taehyung said a bit mockingly.

“You know how I feel,” Namjoon protested.

“Bugs,” Taehyung explained, with an amused smile that was unusually rectangular.

“You don't like them either,” Namjoon said a little sullenly, shuddering. Taehyung also shuddered. Jackson did too.

“Jackson?” Mark said, laughing.

“What, who likes bugs?” Jackson said defensively.

“Our pup Jungkook loves them. Runs around in wolf form snapping at them. Entertains himself for hours sometimes,” Namjoon informed. “It can get a bit disturbing, actually.”

Taehyung shuddered again. “At least he keeps the place clear for the rest of us civilised folk.”

Mark grinned at their disgusted faces.

The door opened, causing the bell to jangle again and Jaebeom and Jinyoung entered.

“Hey,” Jaebeom said, smiling at Namjoon as he approached them all gathered at the counter.

“Hey yourself,” Namjoon replied, returning the smile.

Jinyoung followed Jaebeom, eyes carefully assessing the two strangers.

Taehyung similarly assessed him, cocking his head and narrowing his eyes a moment. “Two omegas?” he exclaimed suddenly. “JB, you STUD.”

“What? Oh, uh, yes, but no... Jinyoung brought Jackson with him, I didn't...”

“What, really?” Namjoon queried, turning to look at Taehyung incredulously.

Taehyung laughed delightedly, and Jaebeom blushed. “It's not like that,” he muttered.

Jinyoung looked at his blushing face and decided he was terribly cute when he was embarrassed. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his own face. “Hi,” he said. “I'm Jinyoung.”

“Jinyoung?” Namjoon asked, expression curious. “As in the Jinyoung?”

“I... don't know? Probably? We've known each other a long time. Do you know other Jinyoungs, Jaebeom?” There was a little flutter in his belly, that Jaebeom had talked about him.

“Yes,” Jaebeom answered Namjoon's question. “That Jinyoung.” He looked into Namjoon's eyes as if conveying something.

“Yeah, right. His best friend from home,” Namjoon said smoothly, holding out his hand, which Jinyoung took, whilst telling himself to stop being silly. Of course he would come up if Jaebeom talked about his past, being his best friend. “Namjoon. What brings you to our part of the world?”

“Fate, I guess. It wasn't intentional,” Jinyoung answered, not really certain what he could say to this stranger. He might be Jaebeom's friend, but Jinyoung was still conscious, and cagey, about his own past.

Namjoon accepted that as his response. “Most people around here, that weren't born here, share that story,” he grinned before turning to Jaebeom. “You got stuff for me?”

“Sure do,” Jaebeom answered, putting a bag up on the counter.

Jackson and Mark started poking around the store, picking up herbs and bottles and examining them.

Jinyoung just stood back and watched Jaebeom with Namjoon.

  
Jaebeom fished several packets of herbs out of the bag which Namjoon carefully scrutinised and weighed before scribbling the value on a piece of paper. A couple of the herbs he passed to Taehyung who gave them a good sniff before telling Namjoon a grade. At the end Namjoon tallied it all up and handed Jaebeom some cash, all the while they chattered and bantered.

“You really need to come into town more often,” Namjoon said at the end. “I enjoy your company.”

Jaebeom smiled. “I probably will, I suddenly have a pack of my own to take care of. I'm sure that'll bring me in more often. Do you think you'd have the use for more supplies if I suddenly have more hands I could potentially get doing some gathering?”

“No problem at all. I can't keep up with demand on some of these. Hang on,” Namjoon grabbed another piece of paper and wrote some names down. “These ones particularly. If you can harvest these, or even farm them if you're so inclined, these are always needed and go for a lot.”

Jaebeom nodded. “Thanks Namjoon.

“No problem. See you next time.”

The four left, stopping at the general store to pick up some supplies Youngjae requested before heading back home. There wasn't as much room in the tray for Mark now, with all the bits and pieces they had picked up, but he didn't care, curling up and having a nap.

 

Pressed up against Jaebeom in the cabin again, Jinyoung enjoyed the warmth and the ease of their conversation as they drove home.

Jaebeom knew there were presently seven in Namjoon's pack too. The pup, an omega and four betas. He had, on good terms, left his pack to start his own in order to expand the herbal business. The other six had been willing to come with him.

“Taehyung has an amazing nose,” Jackson said. “Sure you spend enough time with a wolf, you'll work out what he is, but Taehyung pegged Jinyoung and I immediately.”

“That's why he's there,” Jaebeom explained. “His nose. He might pretend he doesn't know anything about herbs, but he just doesn't really care to remember. He can tell when they're old, some of them the content varies and he can tell by smelling. Taehyung is actually an integral part of Namjoon's business, even if he is a little odd.”

“He seemed pretty normal to me,” Jinyoung protested.

“Give him time,” Jaebeom said, grinning, making Jinyoung smile in response.

Jinyoung really did like Jaebeom's smile. His eyes practically closed over in his mirth, but his mouth was wide, showing strong, straight, white teeth. Jinyoung wondered what those teeth would feel like, sinking into his flesh. He startled, wriggling a little in his seat, and banished that thought to the back of his mind.

Jaebeom looked over at him curiously. “Are you okay?” he asked with gentle concern, placing his hand on Jinyoung's thigh.

“I'm fine,” Jinyoung smiled back at him.

Jaebeom didn't move his hand until he needed it to drive, but then he put it straight back again.

Jinyoung was perfectly okay with that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, huh. Not sure if y'all didn't like the last chapter, but there were crickets in the comments section. I hope it's not that you don't dig GotBang, because that ain't the last you'll be seeing of BTS! Anyway. Moving on. Other things.

It was late when they arrived back at the cabin. Youngjae had co-opted BamBam and Yugyeom into helping him prepare the evening's meal, and it was ready and waiting when they arrived.

 

Once sitting down for dinner, they started to relate the events that had happened in the town, but everything got derailed for quite some time after Mark cheerfully teased Jackson about his flirting with Taehyung and Namjoon. Jackson had not seen fit to mention this part of the day to Jinyoung or Jaebeom, and Mark having been sleeping in the tray of the utility hadn't had the opportunity to.

 

Jackson took the teasing he received in his stride, reiterating that everyone was really good looking, and honestly he has eyes. After awhile, however, Jinyoung noticed that he was starting to get just a little pinched around the mouth, and decided the teasing had gone on long enough. He changed the topic to Mark and Jackson's former packs. He felt Jaebeom's gaze on him, and made eye contact. There was a tiny smile on Jaebeom's lips, and Jinyoung knew that he'd caught the intentional topic change, and he approved.

 

Mark and Jackson recounted their conversations, the relief of their former packs that they were safe, the sorrow at not being able to see them. Mark had been missing for over four years, and his pack had never stopped hoping one day he'd reappear. They didn't really understand his decision to stay, but he was his own wolf, and if he had chosen a pack for himself, that was his decision to make. They made him promise to call them again, and wished him well.

 

Mark was teary all over again by the time he finished his story, and Jinyoung went around the table to hug him over the back of his chair.

 

After he had regathered himself, Mark was the one to change the topic. “Jaebeom,” he said, gaining his attention, “I noticed that Namjoon, Taehyung, and Youngjae for that matter, all call you JB, not Jaebeom. Do you prefer that? Should we be calling you JB too?”

 

Jaebeom shook his head. “No, you can call me whichever, I don't mind. Everyone called me JB back at school. Well, everyone except this guy,” he said, indicating Jinyoung. “I just automatically introduced myself to Youngjae and Namjoon that way. Jinyoung called me Jaebeom when you met me, so you've been calling me that.”

 

Jinyoung chuckled at Jaebeom and then added, “He thought it made him cooler, just being called JB.”

 

Jaebeom grinned back at Jinyoung. “Hey now, I was very cool at school.”

 

“It's true,” Jinyoung concurred, “he was. One of those people who was popular and good looking and talented at everything he tried.”

 

“You were always the smart one,” Jaebeom countered, “and you were the popular one. Class president, friendly to everyone – you know, he used to invite people who didn't have company to come sit at our table,” he elaborated to the group before addressing Jinyoung again. “Everyone loved you. And _you_ were the good looking one.”

 

“What? No way!” Jinyoung protested with genuine surprise. “I really wasn't good looking at school.” He winced in recollection. “I've improved, but you were always so handsome!”

 

“You're insane!” Jaebeom argued. “You're beautiful! You always were! You know that whenever people looked in our direction, they were always looking at you!”

 

“That's crazy!” Jinyoung said, blinking in bewilderement. “They were looking at you!”

 

“Are we really,” Jackson interrupted, “witnessing an argument between these idiots about which one of them is the better looking?”

 

“I think so,” Mark replied, tapping his cheek thoughtfully with a finger.

 

“It's all a bit stupid, don't you think?” Youngjae asked them. “They're clearly both good looking, and they clearly think the other is good looking, so why is this argument even taking place?”

 

“I think,” Mark said gravely, “that neither of them actually appreciates how attractive they really are.”

 

“They are actually idiots, right?” Jackson asked. “I mean, do they ever look in a mirror?”

 

“Jinyoung's hair would suggest he does,” Youngjae said mildly.

 

“Hmm,” Jackson said looking between the pair, trying to stifle his smile.

 

“Okay firstly,” Jinyoung said, glaring at them, “we were arguing about our high school selves, and secondly do not judge me for my caring about my hair. We can't all just run around looking like we've rolled through a hedge.”

 

“He does have hair worth appreciating,” Jaebeom defended. “It's worth the effort.”

 

“Careful!” Mark stage whispered. “Now they're working with each other. I sense danger.”

 

“Shh, don't draw attention to yourself,” Youngjae stage whispered in reply, grinning.

 

“Perhaps I shouldn't have agreed to let everyone stay,” Jaebeom bemoaned to Jinyoung. “They're bringing out the worst in my little Youngjae.”

 

Jinyoung patted him consolingly.

 

 

 

 

Jaebeom's 'little Youngjae' turned out to be quite obstinate, when push came to shove. While he might have previously been bossy when it came to cleanliness, with a pack behind him he developed a confidence to voice his opinion on other matters. Such as the sleeping arrangements in the cabin.

 

When it grew late and Jinyoung tried to take his place on the rug to sleep, Youngjae adamantly refused to let him, telling him his place was with Jaebeom.

 

"You were sleeping in with Jaebeom long before we arrived," Jinyoung protested, "you shouldn't have to sleep on the floor."

 

"No," Youngjae disagreed, shaking his head. "I was only temporarily sleeping there until you came along."

 

"That doesn't make sense," Jinyoung countered. "You didn't know any of us were coming. You shouldn't feel you have to give up your comfortable spot! I'm fine sleeping with the others in here."

 

“You're one of our pack's leaders, his best friend and his omega. This isn't a discussion.”

 

"Don't I get a say in this?" Jaebeom interrupted.

 

"No," Youngjae said turning on him and poking him sternly in the chest. "He belongs there and I'm better now. Sleeping with the pack is comforting. I like it. Less being strangled by an octopus too," he added with a wide smile.

 

"But," Jaebeom began. Youngjae actually put his hands on his hips and offered his best glare to the other. Jaebeom laughed, then reached out and hugged him. "Okay, okay, I'll octopus my omega."

 

Jinyoung wanted to sass Youngjae's impertience at calling him Jaebeom's omega. That was still something to be determined and he wasn't anyone's anything to claim. Butterflies had appeared in his belly however, and they robbed him of his words. Jaebeom had called him his omega too. Jinyoung had to admit that he liked it. He was consternated to find himself vacillating and ended up saying nothing.

 

While Jinyoung was immobilised by his own thought processes, Youngjae extracted himself from Jaebeom's hug, turned to Jinyoung and smiled, victorious. "Decision made," he said pushing Jinyoung towards the bedroom. Jinyoung realised what was happening, and turned his head to look at Jaebeom a little helplessly. Jaebeom just smiled, shrugging and followed him in, heart warm due to both the confident behaviour expressed by Youngjae, and at the prospect of falling asleep with Jinyoung in his arms again.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see! My apologies for the lack of updates. I went to Korea (where I went to both days of the Got7 fanmeet! No posting on JB's birthday for me!) for a month and while I carted my laptop around with me, I didn't write a single word. I've returned and hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things! :)

 

The young pack settled in together, everyone finding ways to be useful in a manner that they enjoyed. They all worked together to create their home, and their efforts brought everyone a satisfaction that transitioned seamlessly into contentment.

 

Jaebeom, clearly, was the worksite foreman. While it would be nice to get somewhere for the majority of the pack to sleep, other than the floor of the main cabin, the need for a safe space for the omegas when they inevitably went into heat was more pressing. His endeavours were wholly focussed there.

 

Jackson, BamBam and Yugyeom continued helping him, following his instructions and helping the building to take shape. Jaebeom only occasionally had to refocus them when they became distracted and went off mission. He didn't really mind. They were all industrious and enthusiastic in their efforts, and they were bright and laughed a lot. There were moments when they were all distracted, laughing about something together, and Jaebeom would just smile to himself as he continued what he was doing until they returned to helping him, or he decided they'd had a long enough break to draw their attention back to what they had been doing.

 

Youngjae had already established the main cabin as his domain. He liked organising meals, and making sure their shared living area remained as tidy as it could with seven young men in close proximity. He also continued to gather wild herbs, providing income that was even more important with new pack members and buildings to erect.

 

The loss of Jaebeom from herb gathering in the short term brought down the amount that could be gathered, but in the long term they didn't suffer unduly. Both Mark and Jinyoung eagerly scoured the mountainside for the valuable plants.

 

Having been prevented from indulging in his wolf form for over four years, and being confined to the area around the conclave where he was kept prisoner, Mark loved getting out and stretching his legs, taking any opportunity to disappear out into the wilderness. Additionally, whilst Mark was sociable and usually in the middle of the laughter emanating from the pack, he also had an introverted nature, and getting out by himself in the wilderness provided him the solitude he needed. Mark focussed on the more valuable plants recomended by Namjoon, and also brought the majority of the small game in for the pack's meals.

 

Jinyoung also loved to get out on to the mountain. He'd never really felt free before, in his original pack, and running wild on a mountain gave him pleasure he had never anticipated. He loved learning about the herbs, a skill vastly different from anything he had developed before. He was an eager student to Youngjae, and had sharp eyes in identifying and spotting the valuable plants. Youngjae confessed that before too long he was quite certain Jinyoung was going to surpass both his and Jaebeom's abilities.

 

Jinyoung had his own students too. While Mark spoke Korean very well, once Jinyoung determined that he couldn't read it at all, he sat the other down in the evenings and taught him how to read the language. Jackson almost immediately joined them, and BamBam wasn't far behind.

 

Soon the lessons included improving Jackson's and BamBam's general understanding of Korean so there would be no need to translate back and forth between languages. Fortunately the pair were fast learners, and were happy to become immersed in the tongue, with occasional translation when they just couldn't understand something that was being said.

 

Yugyeom was a little at a loss in the evenings at first. Jinyoung would be teaching the three foreigners, Youngjae would be in the kitchen, and Jaebeom often sat quietly reading.

 

Sometimes Yugyeom would help Youngjae in the kitchen, but it was apparent that he was only doing it to be helpful, and not because he particularly enjoyed it.

 

One evening Jaebeom pulled out one of his building plans and started to amend it. Yugyeom drifted out of Youngjae's kitchen, and hovered around him, looking at his drawing with inquisitive eyes.

 

In response, Jaebeom kept working, but positioned himself and his work better for Yugyeom to see, and soon the pup was kneeling on a seat next to him, watching with rapt interest.

 

After a while of scrutinising the plan, Yugyeom frowned a little, cocking his head, and tugged on Jaebeom's shirt to get his attention. Jaebeom looked at him, and Yugyeom gestured at the plans and then shrugged.

 

“What is it?” Jaebeom asked.

 

Yugyeom nodded.

 

“It's a dormitory. Where you all can sleep, have a space you can call your own. I want to include room for our pack to grow, or where guests can stay too, in case we ever have any."

 

Yugyeom tapped the area where Jaebeom had been making his changes. The room at the end of the dormitory was noticably larger than the others.

 

"Oh, that?" Jaebeom said. "That's your room. You don't like sleeping alone, so I'm making it bigger so we can fit in two beds, and someone can sleep in there with you."

 

Yugyeom stared at him.

 

"I had considered just putting a bigger bed in, or bunk beds," Jaebeom continued, "but, _oof_ ," he was cut off as Yugyeom threw his arms around his neck enthusiastically.

 

A surprised, but pleased smile developed on Jaebeom's lips under the onslaught of Yugyeom's affection. Jinyoung, who had witnessed the event, broke into a smile of his own.

 

Still locked in Yugyeom's embrace, Jaebeom awkwardly turned his face, self conscious that someone would see him being forcibly hugged by the youngest. Seeing that someone had, he looked even more awkward, but then he shrugged bashfully, and his smile widened, and so did Jinyoung's, and the pair just smiled somewhat goofily at each other over Yugyeom's shoulder until Jackson stuck an elbow into Jinyoung's ribs to get his attention, and Jaebeom untwined Yugyeom from his neck.

 

Jinyoung turned his attention back to what his students were doing and Jaebeom pointed out some of the details of the building plan in front of him to Yugyeom, and started to teach him how to do some important calculations. All the while the pair of them kept sneaking glances across the room, and smiling at each other.

 

 

 

 

 

Jinyoung continued to sleep peacefully at night with Jaebeom. Youngjae had not been wrong when he called Jaebeom an octopus, and not a night went by that Jinyoung wasn't wrapped snugly in Jaebeom's arms, held securely like Jaebeom thought there was even a chance that Jinyoung would disappear in the night. Which was never going to happen. Jinyoung had never felt more safe and secure, and that he belonged right where he was.

 

He never really had appreciated how anxious his former pack had made him until he had the contrast of his new pack. His pack alphas didn't bully anyone. Both of them could be firm when needed, but were always fair, and both of them knew how to allow the pack members to feel free and celebrate their own uniqueness without bulldozing them into a box.

 

Moreover, sleeping, wrapped in Jaebeom's warmth with his soft breath on the back of Jinyoung's neck, made Jinyoung feel grounded, that everything was real and permanent. He had had such a stressful and uncertain life before this and now he knew that he was home and he had no intention to ever leave.

 

He got so quickly used to it that he couldn't get to sleep if Jaebeom stayed up late for some reason (usually because he and Yugyeom were caught up in some fine detail of architectural planning Jinyoung didn't even want to try to understand) and only finally drifted off when the bed finally dipped beneath the other's weight and he was pulled in against Jaebeom's chest.

 

In the morning, Jinyoung usually woke first but was never in a hurry to get out of the comfortable, safe, warm bed, and instead would contentedly lie watching Jaebeom sleeping.

 

He felt something these days, when he looked at Jaebeom. A warmth that suffused him. Jaebeom had always been his friend, had always been someone who made him comfortable, but this was something again. Jaebeom was like a piece of Jinyoung now, since he had stumbled upon Jaebeom's door, since they had become pack. Jinyoung couldn't stop watching him, thinking about him.

 

 

 

One afternoon after having been out roaming the mountain, Jinyoung was tired. While Mark was an alpha and could run and run when he hit the mountainside and still had energy when he returned to the pack, Jinyoung needed a bit of time to recover on his return. No one bothered him when he got back and found himself a nice place in the sun to sit. The late sun fell very nicely on the steps where he was, quite frankly, basking. He was tired, but warm and content, and most importantly, he was happy.

 

Building appeared to have ceased for the day. Jackson, Youngjae, Mark and the pups were doing something near the tree line. He could just make out the voices talking and laughing, although what particularly carried across to him was Youngjae and Jackson's loud laughs, and Yugyeom's giggles.

 

Jaebeom was chopping wood and as Jinyoung's position gave him a perfect view, his eyes inexorably turned to watch him. His thoughts drifted away from the laughing pack, to the subject with which he was almost always preoccupied.

 

Jaebeom hadn't grown noticably taller since they'd last seen each other two years ago. Jinyoung had grown a bit in the interim and found himself almost looking Jaebeom in the eyes now, when previously he had had more of a gap to look up to.

 

Jaebeom was, however, a whole lot broader. As he swung the axe, Jinyoung could appreciate his broad back, far wider than it had been. His legs were stronger too than they had been in school.

 

Despite the cool ambient temperature, the descending sun was warm, and the activity Jaebeom was engaged in was causing him to perspire, his face glistening. He took off his button down shirt, and just wearing a t-shirt, continued to chop.

 

Now Jinyoung could properly appreciate his strong shoulders and arms, and the t-shirt material was sticking a bit to the perspiration on his back.

 

It was really something worth appreciating.

 

Jaebeom paused, taking a few breaths in, resting the axe head on the ground, but didn't turn around. “Jinyoung? Can I tell you something?”

 

“Hmm? Sure,” Jinyoung replied languidly, not really thinking much of it, eyes still observing the back of his alpha.

 

“When we were at school, I had a thing for you. That's why I put up with you, even though you were a pain in the ass.”

 

“Really?" Jaebeom had Jinyoung's complete attention now, and he sat upright in surprise. "I had no idea.”

 

“But I really did think you were going to be an alpha," Jaebeom continued, "and two alphas from different packs were never going to be a thing, so I didn't see the point in pursuing it. That's why I never said anything.”

 

“Why are you telling me this now?” Jinyoung asked, heart rate accellerating and finding it a little hard to breathe.

 

“Because unless I completely miss my mark, the reason you are sitting there smelling so damn delicious is to do with me, and we need to do something about it, right now,” Jaebeom replied, turning to look at Jinyoung with an intense gaze, "because you're driving me crazy."

 

Jinyoung wasn't thinking at all as he hit the ground running, drawn to Jaebeom without even the slightest hesitation.


	12. Chapter 12

Jinyoung threw himself into Jaebeom's arms, wrapping his arms tightly around the slightly damp torso and raised his chin so that his lips were waiting when Jaebeom's descended.

 

They kissed fiercely, hard against each other's mouths, bodies pressed tightly against each other. Jaebeom's fingers wound into Jinyoung's hair and gripped to hold his face where he wanted. Jinyoung's fingers dug into the flesh of Jaebeom's back, and in the morning he would find the bruises that they left behind.

 

 * ~ * ~ *

  

They did not go unnoticed by the rest of the pack.

 

“Ooookay pups!” Jackson said, with a concerned glance at Mark who was standing, staring at the two of them with an obvious internal battle at hand. If Jaebeom could sense Jinyoung's arousal, then so too could Mark, and a part of him would be desperate to go take him out of Jaebeom's arms. “Let's go find dinner. That includes you, Yugyeom.”

 

Yugyeom who had followed Mark's gaze to the two of them, turned and gave him a rebellious glare before turning to look back at Jaebeom and Jinyoung.

 

“Yugyeom. He'll be fine. We should go,” Mark said, sounding strained.

 

BamBam tugged on Yugyeom's arm.

 

Yugyeom resisted, continuing to watch the pair.

 

“Yugyeom,” BamBam whined, insistently tugging.

 

Mark blinked as if coming out of a trance and turned his eyes on Yugyeom. Seeing that the youngest was still staring, resisting BamBam's frantic tugs on his arm, his expression went flat and hard. “Yugyeom,” he snarled in his alpha voice, “LET'S GO.”

 

Yugyeom looked at Mark with a startled expression, and let BamBam pull him away. Mark cast one last look at the pair as the others disappeared into the woods, before following behind.

 * ~ * ~ *

 

Jaebeom used his grip on Jinyoung's hair to pull him away for a moment looking into his face. Jinyoung's eyes opened in confusion, lust clouding his vision and his thoughts. Jaebeom smiled a predatorial smile, releasing his hands from Jinyoung's hair, and scooping him up into his arms. Jinyoung wrapped his arms around Jaebeom's neck and started kissing his jaw. Jaebeom made a rumbling sound as he carried Jinyoung to the cabin, throwing open the door, going through and kicking it closed behind him again. Jinyoung laughed but the laugh stopped when Jaebeom dropped him on to the thick rug in the living area.

 

“But, the bedroom...” Jinyoung said, eyes turning in the direction of said room.

 

“Too far,” Jaebeom growled in response, dropping to his knees and turning his attention to the fastenings of Jinyoung's pants. Jinyoung raised his pelvis to help Jaebeom slide his garments free, exposing his body to the other's sight.

 

Jaebeom made an unintelligible noise in the back of his throat at the sight of Jinyoung's obvious arousal. He ran a hand down Jinyoung's engorged length, making the other arch and whine, before confirming that Jinyoung was as lubricated as he expected him to be.

 

Jaebeom didn't pause a moment more, unfastening his own pants and not even pulling them down before he thrust into Jinyoung, receptive and lubricated with his omega slick. Jinyoung whined again.

 

“I promise,” Jaebeom grunted, “to take my time with you next time.”

 

“Deeper,” Jinyoung gasped in reply, wrapping his legs around Jaebeom's thighs, pulling him in.

 

Jaebeom's mouth crashed down onto Jinyoungs fiercely again as he thrust forcefully into Jinyoung's hot depths. Jinyoung's noises were muffled against Jaebeom's mouth and made Jaebeom growl again in the back of his throat.

 

There was little control present in either of them. Jinyoung was pressing Jaebeom in, arching himself to let him get as deep as he possibly could, and Jaebeom was complying, trying to sink himself into Jinyoung until he drowned.

 

Apart from the initial graze of Jaebeom's hand on his cock, Jinyoung remained untouched, but that didn't stop his whines building and he started to writhe beneath Jaebeom. Jaebeom pulled his lips away from Jinyoung's and leaned back enough so he could watch as Jinyoung suddenly, violently threw his head back, crying out as the evidence of his release spurted over his belly, exposed where his shirt had lifted up with their activity.

 

Jaebeom didn't realise that he was vocalising a sympathetic cry as he kept thrusting, his own release building until he pushed into Jinyoung with a gutteral groan.

 

He collapsed on Jinyoung, their bodies hot and sticky as they both heaved breaths. Jinyoung's arms wound around Jaebeom's torso. He chuckled weakly, tugging at Jaebeom's shirt wordlessly.

 

Jaebeom chuckled in reply, his head beside Jinyoung's. He turned his face a little and Jinyoung turned his and they smiled into each other's eyes.

 

After a moment Jinyoung cleared his throat. “You're kinda heavy, you know,” he said, “and this rug is fine to sleep on when it's just me, but my hipbones are starting to kill me.”

 

“You do realise we're stuck together until the tie releases, don't you?” Jaebeom answered.

 

“Wait, what's the tie?” Jinyoung asked. “Jackson never said anything about a tie?”

 

Jaebeom chuckled and pushed himself up now that strength had returned to his arms. Jinyoung wriggled beneath him, and then his eyes widened as he realised what tying was, and that they really were stuck together.

 

“I feel that this is pertinent information I should have known before this moment,” Jinyoung said a bit pertly. “It's not just that you're heavy, but I'm also... sticky.”

 

Jaebeom chuckled again, and supporting his weight on one elbow used the other arm to pull his shirt over his head. “If I'd been thinking at all I'd have taken my pants off too,” he said as he carefully cleaned Jinyoung's stomach. “They're kinda cutting in to me.”

 

“Do we have to wait very long?” Jinyoung asked.

 

“Not really,” Jaebeom replied, lying back down on Jinyoung, and then rolling them both on to their sides. “Better?”

 

“Yeah,” Jinyoung said with a soft smile.

 

They lay together, not speaking, just smiling and gently touching each other until the tie released.

 

When it did, Jaebeom stood, kicking off his pants with obvious relief. Completely naked and unashamed, he moved away to get a wet cloth to do a better job of cleaning them up with than his none too clean t-shirt. Jinyoung took the opportunity to admire Jaebeom's body as he moved around the room. Strong, broad and beautiful, with a delightful trail down his hard stomach. He unconsciously licked his lips as Jaebeom returned to him and Jaebeom chuckled.

 

"Slow down, Jinyoung."

 

"I'm not sure that I want to," Jinyoung returned, as Jaebeom carefully cleaned first Jinyoung and then himself. “I honestly didn't know what to expect, but now I defintely want more.”

 

“I'll make it better next time. Go slower. Get a mattress under your spine.”

 

“Let's go then,” Jinyoung replied enthusiastically, and tried to get up, but was stopped when Jaebeom pushed him back down on to the rug.

 

"What?" Jinyoung giggled. “You aren't ready yet?” He trailed a finger down Jaebeom's chest, heading south.

 

“Well no, when you're not in your heat I need just a little time to get into a fit state to meet your demands!” Jaebeom replied, grinning and catching the finger in his hand. “But more than that, chances are better if you stay on your back.”

 

Jinyoung laughed. "As you observed, I'm not in my heat! There won't be pups yet!"

 

Jaebeom nodded. "But practice makes perfect. You need to get used to not getting up."

 

Jinyoung smiled. "Are you serious? We've only just... you really want pups with me already?"

 

"Jinyoung," Jaebeom replied, looking into his eyes, "I want everything with you."

 

Jinyoung swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "Everything," he repeated. "What do you mean by everything?" His eye were wide as he looked back into Jaebeom's gaze.

 

Jaebeom didn't answer. He just ran a thumb over Jinyoung's cheekbone before scooping him up again, carrying him in to the bedroom.

 

“Jaebeom?” Jinyoung said softly.

 

“That's enough recovery time, let's go.”

 

 * ~ * ~ *

 

Jinyoung awoke and opened his eyes. He turned his head, fully anticipating seeing Jaebeom's sleeping face, but instead found Jaebeom awake and watching him. Jaebeom smiled, leaned forward and kissed him before Jinyoung even had much opportunity to register what was happening. He didn't mind. Waking up to Jaebeom kissing him was better than any dream he could have imagined. He responded, sliding his body closer to Jaebeom's naked warmth.

 

Jaebeom pulled back, and brushed Jinyoung's bangs back off of his face. "I tried to call. Multiple times. Your pack wouldn't let me talk to you."

 

"I'm sorry," Jinyoung replied sincerely.

 

"I'm never letting you go again."

 

"I'll hold you to that."

 

The door to their room opened, and Yugyeom peered around the corner. Seeing them awake, he jumped on the bed, unperturbed by their exposed unclothed skin. As he did, Jinyoung automatically rolled aside, laughing, and Yugyeom wriggled to make enough room to lie between them.

 

"Good morning, Yugyeom," Jinyoung said, stroking his hair.

 

"Your son is a pest," Jaebeom grumbled.

 

"Our son is adorable," Jinyoung retorted affectionately. "You are so big though, Yugyeom. When did you get to be so big?"

 

Yugyeom giggled and transformed into his wolf form.

 

Jinyoung laughed again, wrapping his arms around Yugyeom's neck and burying his face in his fur. "You're so cute." Jinyoung looked at Jaebeom, his eyes full of mirth and Jaebeom's expression softened. Jinyoung giggled and buried his face again.

 

"You don't want to be here right now Yugyeom," Jaebeom said. "If I didn't get Jinyoung with pups last night I'm going to correct that mistake right now."

 

"We went over this, that's not how it works..." Jinyoung started, raising his face from Yugyeom's neck.

 

"Shhh," Jaebeom replied holding a finger to Jinyoung's lips. Jinyoung kissed it.

 

Jaebeom leaned forward past Yugyeom, sliding his hand around to the back of Jinyoung's neck and capturing his lips with his own.

 

Yugyeom smiled a canine smile, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in amusement. He jumped off the bed, changing back into his human form to open the door and, laughing, made his escape even as Jaebeom rolled over onto Jinyoung.

 

“Are they up?” the pair heard Youngjae ask.

 

They couldn't see Yugyeom's reply, but they heard Jackson's laugh as he spoke, the double entendre evident from his tone, "Oh they're up all right,” before the door closed behind Yugyeom and they were left in peace once again.

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A yo is a thin Korean mattress, kind of like a Japanese futon.
> 
> Happy Birthday Jackson!! <3

Eventually they managed to extricate themselves from each other, and the bed. Jinyoung left the room and came out into the main area. 

Jackson made eye contact with him as he emerged, and offered a knowing nod. "Right?"

Jinyoung looked away momentarily, feeling like perhaps he should be embarrassed, but then realised he really wasn't. He smiled back at Jackson and nodded. "Yeah." 

Jackson grinned.

Jaebeom came out, walking up behind Jinyoung, wrapping his arms around his waist and leaning his chin on his shoulder. "Morning," he greeted the room at large and was greeted in return.

"So what are the plans for today?" Mark asked. "We're getting close to getting this building done."

"Yeah, if we really push we can be done by the end of the week," Jaebeom replied. "We should all have a good breakfast. I know I'm famished," he said.

"That's because you didn't eat any dinner," Jackson laughed.

Jaebeom grinned in return and shrugged. "Youngjae," he said, turning to the beta standing in the kitchen with a spatula in one hand, "I'm going to need to go into town, get bedding for the Retreat and some other bits and pieces. Make sure you get a shopping list together for me. Anyone else want anything in particular, within reason," he added, looking briefly at the pups who blinked back innocently, "add that too and I'll see what I can do."

"Are we really not going to talk about this?" Youngjae said a little testily, waving his hand at Jinyoung, Jaebeom still snugly wrapped around him.

"There's really not anything to talk about, is there?" Jackson asked. "I mean, we all knew it was inevitable. Even Jinyoung, based on the way he's been ogling Jaebeom."

"I was not ogling!" Jinyoung protested.

"It really was ogling," Youngjae said.

"It was definitely ogling," Mark agreed.

"It was a little bit ogling," Jaebeom said, squeezing his arms around Jinyoung's middle.

"I'd call it ogling," BamBam offered, and grinned.

Yugyeom nodded in agreement.

Jinyoung laughed. "Fine!" he conceded. "I was ogling. But have you seen him? He's hot!"

"Hells yes he is," Jackson agreed.

Jaebeom laughed and Jinyoung narrowed his eyes a little at Jackson.

"Hey, no problem, I'll keep my grabby hands off that one even if he IS hot," Jackson laughed again, holding his hands up in surrender. "There's plenty to entertain me around here." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Mark. Mark rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

 

After a good breakfast building resumed. Knowing that a trip to town was in the immediate future, Jinyoung and Youngjae both put in a concerted effort to gather more herbs to sell.

On his return to the cabin, Jinyoung put his gatherings inside and went to the building site to check on the others. Upon seeing Jinyoung arrive, Jaebeom smiled broadly and dropped what he was doing to go greet him.

"Hey, lover boy, no slacking off!" Jackson called.

A shooing motion from Jaebeom was the only response he received and he laughed and continued what he was doing.

"I had a thought," Jaebeom said, before he even reached Jinyoung. He pulled Jinyoung into his arms, and into a sweet kiss.

"I approve of this thought," Jinyoung said softly when his lips were released.

Jaebeom chuckled. "Me too, but actually what I meant was, I had an idea, and I wanted to run it by you."

"Oh yes?" Jinyoung asked, curious.

"What do you think about inviting Namjoon's pack up here? I've been thinking I want our two packs to get to know each other, and we can use completing the Retreat as an excuse."

Jinyoung smiled. "I like it! I feel like the pups need more social contact. We had school at their age, they only have us. Jackson too. He's really social but he only gets to talk to the six of us."

Jaebeom nodded. "Half the time Mark goes for a run I think he's just trying to get a reprieve from Jackson. I know he likes him, but Jackson can be a lot for anyone, let alone Mark. Okay, if you approve then when we go into town we can ask Namjoon, and pick up a couple of extra yo. An extra yo or two won't cost a lot and are always handy to have around," he pulled Jinyoung into another kiss. "We need one for the Retreat anyway," he murmured against Jinyoung's lips, "both because of the ondol heating but also for safety reasons. I think a yo is better than a regular bed."

"You're a planner all right," Jinyoung replied softly before applying the tiny amount of pressure to change the contact between their lips back into a kiss.

 

When Jinyoung and Jaebeom headed in to town, their first stop was the herbalists. They were greeted cheerfully by both Namjoon and Taehyung. Jinyoung didn't miss the small enigmatic smile that graced Taehyung's face after they reached the counter. He wondered if he somehow could sense something and knew about the two of them.

Namjoon and Taehyung both loved the idea. Whilst they lived near the town and Jungkook was able to attend the small school there, the pack members were, until relatively recently, accustomed to a much larger pack and more varied social interaction. Like Jaebeom, Namjoon wanted his pack to be on good terms with others and a celebration with a similar sized pack of similar aged members with similar values was received with enthusiasm.

Since Namjoon closed the store at one on Saturday, only receiving anyone later in the afternoon or on Sunday by appointment, the plan was for the pack to come up Saturday after the store closed and to stay overnight.

Namjoon's pack arrived in one large vehicle, an SUV almost like a small bus. At the sound of their arrival the residents of the mountain headed outside to greet the new arrivals with various degrees of excitement and curiosity.

The side door slid open before the vehicle completely came to a stop, and Taehyung was the first to leap out. He immediately ran over to where he saw Mark, hugging him enthusiastically. Jackson pouted exaggeratedly until Taehyung, laughing, hugged him too. Jackson's exaggerated pout transformed into an enormous smile. He wrapped his arms around him and spun him in a circle while Taehyung kept laughing.

Namjoon, with a bright smile, got out of the driver's side, and waited while he was joined by an attractive man from the passenger's side. The two held hands as they approached the pack. 

Behind them, one by one four more faces exited the vehicle through the side and followed behind their pack alpha.

“Welcome!” Jaebeom said happily. “I'm glad you all came.”

“You live in the most beautiful place,” the man with Namjoon said. “I'm a little jealous.”

“Thank you..." Jaebeom replied, leaving the ending open for Namjoon to fill in.

“My partner, Jin,” Namjoon introduced. 

"Nice to meet you, Jin." Jaebeom said with a wide smile. 

"Most of you already know Taehyung," Namjoon continued, indicating the beta who had managed to disentangle himself from Jackson and had linked his arms through both of his and Mark's and was standing amongst the members of Jaebeom's pack like he was one of them, "Hoseok and Jimin; Jungkook, our pup; and our omega, Yoongi.

"Omega?" Jinyoung said curiously, looking between Jin and Yoongi.

Namjoon nodded slowly. "Jin’s a beta like Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung. It's a bit of a strange situation. We can talk about it later."

Jaebeom introduced his own pack in return. "I'm Jaebeom, or JB, the pack alpha and this is Jinyoung, my omega." Jinyoung still wasn't quite used to be called Jaebeom's omega in the possessive sense, but he liked it and wasn't overly successful at trying not to smile. Jaebeom continued, "Mark over there is an alpha," Mark waved in acknowledgement, "Jackson is an omega; Youngjae a beta, and BamBam and Yugyeom are our pups."

Jimin elbowed Hoseok and hissed "There really are two omegas!"

"Why is everyone standing around outside? Youngjae asked. "It's cold. And I made snacks!"

"Oh!" Jin said excitedly. "I made snacks too."

Jimin bounced around to the back of the van, fetching a bag out the back before coming back up to Jin, who smiled.

"We should exchange recipes!" Youngjae said, trying not to seem too relieved that someone else enjoyed cooking. He'd secretly been a little overwhelmed at the thought of trying to feed fourteen young wolves.

Jin nodded in agreement. "Feeding this lot takes a lot of work. We can share our pain."

 

The main room of the cabin was quite well packed with fourteen people instead of the usual seven, but they made themselves fit. The two packs took no time at all to start bonding, talking loudly amongst themselves and munching on the snacks provided by both Youngjae and Jin. Once the food was depleted, the younger members were getting fidgety and had already broken a cup and a small plate.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes and clapped his hands loudly into the hubbub. "You've all clearly got too much energy to burn. Go for a run. You're going to drive us crazy."

"Can we?" Jungkook asked Namjoon who shrugged non complacently. Jungkook stood and pulled Yugyeom and BamBam to their feet. Hoseok and Jimin grinned at each other and jumped to their feet too, disappearing out the door hauling Yoongi half heartedly protesting behind them.

"Can.." Youngjae said a little uncertainly.

"The hell Youngjae," Jaebeom said, turning to face the beta with surprise, "if you want to go, go! You don't have to take care of us. You too Jackson. Stop trying to pretend you don't want to go act like a pup with that lot."

Youngjae and Jackson grinned at each other and were gone in an instant as well. Mark and Taehyung looked at each other and with overacted calmness and composure went out too. Their laughter could be heard receding into the distance.

Jaebeom, Jinyoung, Namjoon and Jin all audibly released a pent up breath once the place was free of the other ten, and then laughed as they realised everyone else had done the same thing.

"I mean, they're great..." Namjoon said.

"But there was so much TALKING," Jinyoung groaned.

"And they didn't stop moving," Jaebeom grinned.

"And I don't think they really tasted the snacks Youngjae and I made," Jin laughed, and everyone joined him.

With the quieter ambience and only the two couples remaining, Jinyoung broached the topic again of Jin's being a beta, and Yoongi the omega, and how he managed his pack to let him take an omega in the first place.

Namjoon nodded, taking Jin's hand and squeezing it. “So, we're a bit of a weird pack, like you. There's kinda of a story to it, so I'll start at the beginning so it all makes more sense. 

“When I decided that I wanted to expand the business, come out to where the herbs are and provide an intermediary point between this region and the main pack headquarters in Daegu, the pack was happy to let me take some of the other young members who wanted to come with me. Jin's my partner, so he was always going to come. I know it's kinda of strange for an alpha and a beta to be together, but, I don't know. It's like we just belong together.

“And Yoongi... see he's my best friend. When he Changed and became an omega, it was horrifying to him. He knows that in a pack the omega doesn't have to be directly responsible for raising pups, but he really doesn't want to. He also doesn't want to have the kind of relations with anyone that makes pups either, but of course there are risks to an omega continuing to go through heats and not having pups. The pack elders told him that once he went through his heat he'd settle in to his role, but he didn't. Every time he had a heat the alphas would try to get him to choose them, but he'd get freaked out and his heat aborts. So he was bitter because pack pressure and his own body were trying to make him go through something he really didn't want to.

“So when I was going to move out here.... as my best friend of course Yoongi would want to come with me, but more than that it gets him away from the pack and all that expectation. And the old pack doesn't mind because they didn't think he was going to be any good to them anyway.”

“But he's still an omega,” Jinyoung said softly.

Namjoon nodded. “That I became an alpha gives us a bit of hope. He hasn't had a heat since we have moved out here. We're hoping, Yoongi included, that maybe if it's me he won't be so freaked out, since I'm his best friend and he can trust me. And Jin here,” Namjoon said with a gentle smile at Jin, “loves pups and is frankly kinda devastated he ISN'T an omega.” A rueful smile crossed Jin's face and Namjoon squeezed his hand. “So if Yoongi and I manage to have pups together, Jin is happy to be the main person who raises them, and Yoongi can just be uncle Yoongi. And if we don't have pups together, then it's like I have an extra beta. I'll figure out a way to keep him healthy despite not having pups.”

“That all does actually make sense, once you know the whole story,” Jaebeom said. “What about Jungkook? How come your pack let you leave with a wolf who hadn't Changed?” Jaebeom asked.

“Well Taehyung had to come with me, because of his nose. He's also a friend though, it's not just the nose. But Taehyung, Hoseok, Jimin and Jungkook are all inseparable. There weren't many other pups Jungkook's age in the pack and he found himself more comfortable with those three. They are pretty attached to each other and I don't think anyone liked the idea of trying to split them up. Not to mention Jungkook is pretty wilful when he wants to be. When there was mention of not letting him come until after his Change, he calmly said he'd just run away and join anyway, and I guess they believed him.

“So here we are.”

"It's so good that Jungkook got to stay with his friends, and Yoongi has you guys who understand him!" Jinyoung said. "When I was seperated from Jaebeom, I didn't know what to do with myself. It was horrible. I was like a ghost of myself really. Then I Changed and I didn't know what was going to happen to me and I was terrified. I'm still kinda nervous about being an omega and all it entails, but I know I'm much more comfortable because I've got Jaebeom and Jackson. It would have been even worse for Yoongi."

“What is your story, Jinyoung?” Jin asked. “There was just Jaebeom and Youngjae for quite a while, and then you appeared with the other four. Namjoon said you didn't look like you wanted to talk about it...”

Jinyoung looked at them both and then at Jaebeom who smiled and gave an encouraging nod. Jinyoung nodded in return, and proceeded to tell them the story of how their pack came to be.


	14. Chapter 14

The two pack's members returned, not en masse, but in dribs and drabs.

Yoongi and Youngjae returned first. Youngjae was preoccupied with the thought of getting food ready for the horde he had before him and decided to return to get organised. Laughing at how flustered he was, Jin joined him in the kitchen and the two bent their heads together coming up with a menu based on the ingredients available.

Yoongi proclaimed that he was too old to run around with the kids and went to claim a comfortable chair, but Namjoon waved him over to introduce him to Jinyoung and Jaebeom properly.

After a period of relative peace, Hoseok, BamBam, Jimin and Jackson arrived in a cloud of laughter. Jinyoung failed to completely suppress his wince as the noise level in the cabin significantly increased in an instant and Yoongi shared an understanding smile.

It took some time before Jungkook and Yugyeom arrived, enormous smiles on their faces, and joined the noise makers. The six set about playing a game and accepted Yugyeom's giggles and gestures as valid contributions towards the required communication.

Eventually Jaebeom realised that not everyone was still not there. “Where's Mark?” he asked the room in general.

“Where's Taehyung?” Namjoon added.

“Probably in the bath,” Hoseok supplied, keeping a close eye on the others as they made their moves.

“They what?” Jin asked.

“When we were out Mark was talking about how awesome the bath here was, so Tae wanted to try it. Since they're not here, I'm assuming they are in there,” Hoseok elaborated.

Jin blinked. “In the bath.”

Namjoon shrugged. “Taehyung does tend to make friends in bathrooms.”

“Even still...” Jin protested. “They're having a bath? Together?”

Jinyoung laughed. “It isn't really just a bath though.”

“What's so great about this bath?” Jin said, narrowing his eyes. “And why am I not in it if it's so amazing?”

“It's an onsen,” Youngjae explained.

“Let's go,” Jin said, coming out of the kitchen and grabbing Namjoon's arm.

Namjoon laughed. “How about we go try it out after dinner? If our hosts don't mind.”

“Of course we don't mind, I'm pretty proud of my onsen and there's lots of room in it.” Jaebeom said, grinning. “You know, this does bring to mind the fact that I haven't even given you all the tour of this place yet. Including the Retreat, which was the excuse to get together in the first place. But that will have to wait until tomorrow now, it's too dark to properly appreciate it I think.”

“Perhaps we should have a quick look at this onsen though, right now,” Jin said. “Check Mark and Taehyung are okay.”

“I don't think you'll get his attention back into the kitchen until he's seen it with his own eyes,” Namjoon said, dimples popping.

“I'm just concerned about our missing pack members,” Jin disputed, unsuccessfully keeping a straight face.

“Sure you are.”

 

Mark and Taehyung were snoozing, eyes closed and completely relaxed in the water as the space was invaded by all six remaining members of Namjoon's pack, and in addition to several of the host pack.

Jungkook splashed Taehyung in his face, who merely opened one eye. “Brat,” he said, closing it again.

Mark sighed. “They found us.”

“Did you really build this place yourself?” Jin said, staring wonderingly around the room.

Jaebeom nodded, rubbing the back of his neck self consciously.

“Can we move in?” Jin turned to Namjoon, opening his eyes wide. “Do you think they'd let us move in?”

“It's just a bath...” Namjoon replied, nonplussed.

Jin threw his hands up. “ 'Just a bath'. How would you like another beta in your pack, Jaebeom? I'm a decent cook and I don't snore.”

Namjoon pulled Jin into his side. “How about we just visit occasionally if they let us and you can use the bath? We need you, and besides, wouldn't you miss us?”

“Fine!” Jin said dramatically. “The sacrifices I make for you.” He patted the edge of the onsen. “I'll be back to see you later, my lovely,” and he headed back into the kitchen to keep preparing dinner.

Jinyoung and Jaebeom chuckled and Namjoon shrugged as they herded back to the main room, leaving Mark and Taehyung to soak.

 

When it came time to sleep, everyone pushed the furniture in the main room to the edges, and arranged all the yo, in addition to the mattress off Jaebeom and Jinyoung's bed, on the floor all together. All fourteen of them curled up in various combinations, talking late into the night, and not really trying to get to sleep.

Even still, eventually voices fell silent one by one.

Jinyoung snuggled backwards into Jaebeom, getting more comfortable, and Jaebeom's arm snaked over his waist. Jinyoung smiled contentedly.

“It's so relaxing,” Taehyung's drowsy voice murmured into the silence.

“What is?” Mark queried through a yawn. “The onsen?”

“Jinyoung.”

“Me?” Jinyoung asked in surprise, rousing from his drift towards sleep.

“Mmm,” Taehyung confirmed.

“What do you mean?” Jinyoung asked, genuinely puzzled.

“You're releasing the loveliest pheromones. Like a soft cloud of content, but I can smell it, like snow in the clouds. There's nothing more relaxing than being around an omega in love with his alpha.”

“I...” Jinyoung started and then cut off as he considered. He knew that nursing omegas released pheromones to help keep the pups content. Why couldn't an omega in love and content release pheromones to bring contentment to their pack? Taehyung's nose detected a lot of things that bypassed normal wolves so it was completely conceivable that he could be releasing pheromones just as Taehyung described. If he was in love with Jaebeom. “I guess I am,” he acknowledged softly.

Jaebeom's arm tightened across Jinyoung's waist and he kissed the nape of Jinyoung's neck. “I love you, too,” he whispered.

Jinyoung felt a thrill rush through his body in response to Jaebeom's words.

“Sooo relaxing,” Taehyung murmured contentedly, rolling onto his back and flinging his arms out like a starfish. One of his hands hit a sleeping Jimin in the face, remaining where it landed and rousing him from his slumber. Jimin moved the hand, curled up around it and fell back asleep, unperturbed.

Jinyoung lay for a moment more, snuggled in Jaebeom's arms, absorbing the mutual declaration of love between them. He turned his head over his shoulder, and was gratified when Jaebeom's lips met his. He turned around to face Jaebeom, seeking out his eyes in the darkness. Jaebeom smiled, curved his hand around the back of Jinyoung's head, and resumed kissing him. Jinyoung didn't think he'd ever felt happier than in that moment.

Eventually they too fell asleep, tangled in each other's limbs with soft smiles on their faces.

There was silence in the room, apart from a bit of snoring, and little contented noises that Taehyung continued to make in his sleep.

 

The following day they finally showed the Retreat to the visiting pack. Not just Jaebeom, whose plan it had been, but all the pack was proud. Jinyoung and Youngjae hadn't had much to do with the actual building, but the rest of them had worked hard to make it what it was, and it they had made something they should be proud of.

The traditional ondol heating was enthused over. Up here in the mountains where there was no electricity clever ideas would make living there so much better. Down in the town, and in their previous packs, everyone had taken heating for granted, but the traditional heating method would work well – even if it was a bit labour intensive.

The main room was not overly spacious, but it didn't need to be. There was care in all the finishing of the room and it felt welcoming.

“I always thought mountains are fine to climb, but I wouldn't want to live up one. If I lived somewhere as well thought out and nice as this place you're building, that opinion has changed,” Jin said admiringly. “What else are you planning?”

“A dormitory is next on the agenda. Give everyone a little bit of their own space. It also gets quite hot up here in summer and the pack all sleeping on the floor in the main cabin isn't going to be comfortable in the humidity,” Jaebeom answered. “After that, I really just need to do some practical things. Increase water and food storage, possibly build a workshop. Longer term we might want a room where pups can have lessons, that sort of thing. But there's no rush, there's only the seven of us for the moment.”

They wandered back towards the main cabin, coming up with plans on what they could do with the rest of the day before the visiting pack needed to leave. They decided upon a hunt. In the township there was no need to hunt, but here on the mountain it was different. The young betas in Namjoon's pack in particular were excited at the thought. They had an abundance of energy and not enough use for it in their normal day activities.

All fourteen of them were going, splitting up into two groups, Mark in one and Jaebeom in the other, as the two with the most hunting expertise.

As usual, Jinyoung felt self conscious before transforming for the first time in front of people. When he told Namjoon and Jin his story they had asked him to transform so they could see for themselves. He'd been nervous, it had become a trauma for him. Once it was done he didn't even think about it, but the first time was always stressful.

 

_“Oh my,” Jin breathed softly. Namjoon just blinked a few times._

_Jinyoung changed back to his human form and shrugged._

_“I am dissatisfied with this,” Jin asserted, looking at Namjoon for support. “I am accustomed to being the prettiest in any group. You are not allowed to do that when I am around. I have standards to uphold.”_

_Namjoon flicked his ear._

_“Fine,” Jin sighed dramatically. “At least I'm still the prettiest in our human forms.”_

_Jaebeom pointedly looked at Jinyoung and then at Jin, raising his eyebrows._

_“Don't you say it, mister!” Jin warned. “You'll give me esteem issues.”_

_“Don't mind him,” Namjoon sighed. “He's a drama queen.”_

_“You don't say,” Jaebeom replied blithely._

_Jin winked._

 

Yugyeom came over to him, taking his hand. Jinyoung smiled at him before looking at his feet. Jaebeom joined them and put his arm around Jinyoung's shoulders.

“Okay,” Jin said loudly, drawing everyone's attention. “Before he transforms, I need to warn my pack. Jinyoung is quite possibly the prettiest wolf ever. Don't make a fuss though, or I'll be vexed. I demand you continue to pretend I'm the prettiest.”

Mark stifled a laugh.

“Did...” Hoseok said, blinking rapidly, “did Jin just say Jinyoung is prettier than he is?”

“VEXED,” Jin repeated loudly.

“Just do what he says,” Namjoon said, grinning, “and everything will be fine.”

“How pretty IS Jinyoung?” Yoongi asked.

Jin put his hands on his hips.

“You might as well get it over with,” Jaebeom said softly to Jinyoung.

Jinyoung sighed and complied.

The five who had never seen him before stared in various levels of surprise.

“He really IS pretty,” Yoongi said.

“Can I pat him?” Taehyung asked, already approaching.

“He's not a pet, sweetheart,” Jin said, making Taehyung look a bit guilty and stopping his approach. “Now. Now that is all over with, can we go?”

It was far from the worst first time experience Jinyoung had had.


End file.
